Trend Micro Incorporated, a global leader in cloud security and the fight against cyber crime,announces a significant expansion of itsconsumer mobile offeringsto secure, enhance and simplify people’s mobile lives.The new release of Trend Micro Mobile Security Personal Edition for Android provides the most advancedprotection of users’ privateinformationand faster, lighter security against malware.
To help simplify and enhance users’Android experience, Trend Micro is also releasing new apps–Trend Micro Longevity (an innovative new battery saver app) andTrend Micro Mobile Backup and Restore. There are also updates of the mobile versions of Trend Micro DirectPass, which simplifies management of online passwords, and Trend Micro SafeSync, which provides users with easy access to their data from any device.
“Mobile devices are an integral part of our lives. Trend Micro’s mobile products help ensure that these devices are always protected against threats, have maximum battery life,and easy to access personal information, as well as simplified access to password-protected websites,” saidCarol Carpenter, general manager and senior vice president ofTrend Micro. “Consumersare on the go, and don’t have the time to worry about malware, losing pictures on their phones and running out of battery power. Our consumer mobile products take the burden off of our customers, making their lives easier and their security effortless.”
In fact, according to a recent survey conducted by Trend Micro, it was found that almost 63 percent of consumers are connected online via their phones – with over a quarter of them owning two or more mobile devices. With the increase of smart phones, consumers have become more comfortable using their phones to conduct sensitive personal business online. According to the survey, 37 percent of respondents use their mobile devices to bank online, 25 percent use their mobile devices to shop online and 59 percent use their devices to visit social networking sites. These activities all involve sensitive data that needs to be protected.
Trend Micro’s flagship mobile product, Trend Micro Mobile Security Personal Edition, has been keeping consumers safe on their mobile devices since 2004. In the past month Trend Micro has recorded that 26 out of every 1000 apps downloaded in the United States are malicious, while just under twopercent of downloaded apps attempt to collect and potentially steal personal information.
This is slightly lower than the global averages, but still concerning when you consider that there are over 1 billion app downloads every month from the Google Play Store. Trend Micro’s new Privacy Scanner is the first solution to warn users of apps that access and also uploadprivate data.
This data can include pictures, phone logs, SMS messages, address books, and even recordings via the phone’s microphone. The new threat scanner now also uses Trend Micro’s cloud security to further reduce the impact on the device while always ensuring the latest threats are being blocked. These new features are possible through the Trend Micro Mobile App ReputationSystem, a proprietary cloud-based system that continuously monitors 650,000+ apps for mobile malware, apps that upload private data, and battery-hogging apps. Trend Micro Mobile Security Personal Edition also includes:
Privacy Scanner – protectsprivate data. When people attempt to install a new app, its privacy risk reputation is checked and any risky apps are flagged.
Threat Scanner–detects malicious apps faster with an even lighter solution that has negligible impact on the device.
Parental Controls– blocks unwanted and inappropriate content including spam, adult content and unwanted contacts.
Safe Surfing–automatically blocks malicious websites.
Uninstall Protection –stops uninstallation of mobile security by requiring the master account password.
Lost Device Protection–provides anti-theft functionality that allows users to find, lock and erase a missing device. It also enables users to remotely sound an alarm to help locate the device and protects against thieves who change the phone’s SIM card.
In addition to providing peace-of-mind security, Trend Micro offers other new applications today to help enhance and simplify mobile lives. These new apps include Trend Micro Longevity and Trend Micro MobileBackup and Restore.
From Trend Micro research approximately one quarter of all apps downloaded in the U.S. have a medium to high impact on a smartphone battery, and each day 50 percent of Android devices drop below 10 percent battery power with a third of those devices running out of power completely.
Trend Micro Longevity for Android is an innovative, easy-to-use application that helps all levels of smartphone users to maximize the life of the battery. Its unique advantage is that it harnesses the power ofthe Mobile App Reputation to identify apps that have a large impact on the battery and then issues a warning to users.It also automatically configures phone settings and disables unused apps to maximize battery life.
Trend Micro Mobile Backup andRestoregoes beyond just backing up contacts and photos by backing up almost all data on the device to make it easy to be up and running quickly, in cases of data loss. Mobile users can now easily and securely restore all of their data on a new device using this new solution that leverages Trend Micro’s strength in security and cloud infrastructure.Like Trend Micro’s other mobile apps, Backup and Restore is extremely straightforward and gives users the power to secure their mobile device data anywhere in the world and at any time.
Trend Micro is also releasing new mobile versions of its DirectPass and SafeSync solutions to further secure, enhance and simplify consumers’ mobile experience.
Apps are available in the Google Play Storeand on the Trend Micro website. Selected apps are available on the Amazon App Store and Verizon VCAST app store.
Pricing and Availability
Trend Micro Mobile Security Personal Edition, available today, includes the Threat Scanner and a one year license for premium that sells for$29.99.
Trend Micro Longevity, available today, will include both a free version, as well as a premium subscription, that will sell for $5.99 /year or $9.99/2 years. Trend Micro will be offering an introductory special of 50percent off for a limited time.
Trend Micro Mobile Backup and Restore, available in beta now, will be offered for purchase later this year with1GB of free storage and an extra 5GB of storage available for$0.99 per month or $9.99 per year.
I’ve never had a mobile security on any of my phones, but after knowing the threat that can happen, I’ve been using Trend Micro.
