F-Secure makes new WinMo security move

Alex Zaharov-Reutt
Wednesday, 17 June 2009 14:03

Business IT - Technology

Although already available for Nokia/Symbian S60 3rd and 5th edition phones, F-Secure is set to make its “smartphone security solution” available for Windows Mobile 5/6 (from June 24 2009) including an “advanced anti-theft feature that includes easy remote locking and wiping of confidential data if the phone is lost or stolen”.

Although many smartphones cost more (whether purchased outright or paid off over 24 months) than most netbook and even some more traditional notebook computers with “Pentium Dual Core” processors, their popularity has exploded even further since the iPhone revolution.

It’s hardly a surprise, given that most smartphones are true multi-function devices that not only let you make calls, surf the web, send emails, open attachments, read the news, access social networking sites, download and install software, take photos, videos and more – all while fitting into your pocket.

Yes, Apple has been highly successful in selling tens of millions of iPhones and iPod Touch devices, but so too has Nokia and Microsoft’s “Windows Mobile” smartphone manufacturing partners.

While Apple has been very strict in policing what software ends up on its App Store (despite some noticeable slip ups like the “Knife” app, allowing and then removing tethering software, and allowing 5 gazillion “fart apps”, among others), mobile malware is becoming an increasing concern.

In the days before Apple introduced the iPhone OS 2.0 and formally allowed native apps, jailbreaking was the only way to install unofficial third party apps, from third party non-Apple repositories.

While this proved immensely popular, it gave the idea to some malware writers to create “rogue” iPhone software repositories to catch the eagerly downloading unwary, and reportedly, at the time, some were indeed caught. 

Apple’s subsequent move to create an official App Store (and properly support the widespread availability of third party apps) certainly helps protect consumers, and it has been such a monumental hit that Nokia has cloned it with its Ovi Store, and Microsoft is due to come to market soon with its Windows Mobile “SkyMarket”.

But even with the Ovi store and SkyMarket, Windows Mobile and Symbian users are still able to visit all manner of sites online to download and install lots of different mobile software.

Sure, neither Nokia nor Microsoft can yet match Apple’s “50,000+ apps”, but both of these players are still feverishly courting developers to create apps for their platforms, too – and the threat of more mobile malware clearly presents itself.

This creates an opportunity for a security company like F-Secure to release a mobile security suite. They aren’t the first to do so – Symantec had something for Nokia’s in the past, and Kaspersky are also in the mobile security business, too.

But it would appear that F-Secure has gone one step further. F-Secure Mobile Security offers “anti-virus, anti-spyware, a firewall and a remote control anti-theft feature that safeguards your confidential information even if the phone is lost or stolen”.

What are the details – and what kind of impact might this security layer have upon the performance of one’s phone? Please read on to page 2.