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SMobile Systems Analysis of Android App Store Reveals Massive Potential for Malware and Viruses

Filed Under: SMobile Press Room
Tuesday, June 22nd, 2010

20 Percent of Android-Based Apps Grant a Third-party Application Access to Private or Sensitive Information

COLUMBUS, Ohio, June 22 /PRNewswire/ — For the first time since its inception, Android based smartphones outsold iPhones in the first part of 2010. Consumers who purchase these smartphones are downloading millions of Android-based applications, and, according to a new SMobile Systems analysis of the Android market, putting their personal and professional data at risk.

SMobile System’s Global Threat Center (http://threatcenter.smobilesystems.com/) has performed an in-depth analysis of over 48,000 applications currently available on the Android market and discovered the following threats:

20 percent of applications in the Android market grant a third party application access to private or sensitive information that an attacker could use for malicious purposes, such as Identity Theft, mobile banking fraud and corporate espionage; 5 percent of applications have the ability to place a call to any number, without requiring user intervention;
Dozens of applications have the identical type of access to sensitive information as known spyware
2 percent of market submissions can allow an application to send unknown premium SMS messages without user intervention.

“The Android operating system and the Android Market are quickly becoming the most widely used mobile platform and app store in the world. There are individuals and organizations out there right now, developing malicious code designed to capture your most personal information and use it to their advantage,” said Neil Book, Chief Executive Officer of SMobile Systems.

To help protect Android and other smartphones, SMobile has incorporated a new patent-pending spyware detection technology into its Security Shield solution. This revolutionary capability analyzes an entire device in seconds and immediately identifies and mitigates known and unknown spyware threats, all with virtually no impact to the user experience or device performance. Built from SMobile’s extensive history of protecting BlackBerry, Windows Mobile, Symbian and Palm devices and originally released for Android at the launch of the first Android-phone, Security Shield was the first commercially available mobile security solution specifically developed to protect devices utilizing the Google Android operating system. To view the complete SMobile Android Market whitepaper, please visit http://threatcenter.smobilesystems.com/.

“The open-source architecture that drives Android phones and the abundance of application stores available for all smartphone devices have allowed developers to quickly create and post thousands upon thousands of new applications. As a result, applications are currently available that have the potential to cause serious harm to devices, customers and to the broader cellular network,” said Daniel V. Hoffman, Chief Technology Officer for SMobile Systems. “SMobile’s eight year history of providing industry-leading mobile device security and management solutions, coupled with the robust features included with SMobile Security Shield provide the highest level of security in the market to Android and other smartphone devices, protecting against Malware threats, Identity Theft, and lost and stolen devices.

SMobile’s Security Shield for Android, BlackBerry, Windows Mobile and Symbian provides complete mobile device protection for consumers and enables Enterprise and SMB customers to manage, protect, audit and report on their entire heterogeneous mobile device population via the SMobile Management Console.

About SMobile

SMobile, Inc. has created the first and only complete line of products and services that securely protect mobile phones and the global wireless infrastructure from hackers, viruses, data compromise, unauthorized data theft and the effects of lost or stolen devices. The company’s security applications include virus and malware detection, text message and data filtering, prevention of unwanted messages from interrupting the user, spam blocking, enterprise management, protection for mobile professionals from harmful data on open networks and data security and password-protection for content and files. SMobile is headquartered in Columbus, OH with facilities in Fort Lee, N.J., Dortmund, Germany, and Pune, India. The company is privately held.

SMobile Systems Inc Receives 2009 Best of Business Award

Filed Under: Mobile Security News, SMobile Press Room
Monday, March 22nd, 2010

Small Business Commerce Association’s Award Honors the Achievement

SAN FRANCISCO, March 13, 2009, SMobile Systems Inc has been selected for the 2009 Best of Business Award in the Computer software category by the Small Business Commerce Association (SBCA)

The Small Business Commerce Association (SBCA) is pleased to announce that SMobile Systems Inc has been selected for the 2009 Best of Business Award in the Computer software category.

The SBCA 2009 Award Program recognizes the top 5% of small businesses throughout the country. Using statistical research and consumer feedback, the SBCA identifies companies that we believe have demonstrated what makes small businesses a vital part of the American economy. The selection committee chooses the award winners from nominees based off statistical research and also information taken from monthly surveys administered by the SBCA, a review of consumer rankings, and other consumer reports. Award winners are a valuable asset to their community and exemplify what makes small businesses great.

About Small Business Commerce Association (SBCA)

Small Business Commerce Association (SBCA) is a San Francisco based organization. The SBCA is a private sector entity that aims to provide tactical guidance with many day to day issues that small business owners face. In addition to our main goal of providing a central repository of small business operational advice; we use consumer feedback to identify companies that exemplify what makes small business a vital part of the American economy.

SOURCE: Small Business Commerce Association

CONTACT:
Small Business Commerce Association
Email: Press@SBCAAwards.org
URL: http://www.SBCAAwards.org

SMobile Systems Reveals Best Practices On How To Protect U.S. Cellular Network Following Cyber Shockwave Simulation

Filed Under: SMobile Press Room
Tuesday, February 16th, 2010

WASHINGTON and COLUMBUS, Ohio, Feb. 16

WASHINGTON and COLUMBUS, Ohio, Feb. 16 /PRNewswire/ — Following the simulation of a nationwide terrorist attack on the U.S. Internet and cellular infrastructure and the disturbing vulnerabilities that were exposed, SMobile Systems today released its best practices for handling such a crisis as well as a Governmental and Enterprise level mobile security package called Secure Mobility Management Solutions™. The simulation exercise was hosted in Washington D.C. by the Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC).

The BPC event, Cyber ShockWave, featured a full-day simulation of an attack on the U.S.’s mobile and Internet-based communications infrastructure. SMobile executives, including Joe Hagin, former White House Deputy Chief of Staff, and Daniel V. Hoffman, SMobile’s Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, helped design the event.

Commenting on the best practices that corporations and governmental agencies should learn from the simulation, Joe Hagin stated, “In today’s highly charged environment and with the incredible reliance upon mobile communications, it is of vital importance that anyone with exposure to cellular technologies, either personally or in their business, take proactive steps to protect themselves, their networks, their users, and their data from attack.”

The five best practices SMobile suggests to avoid the vulnerabilities exposed by the BPC simulation include:

* Protect mobile devices with the same baseline security as PCs;
* Recognize and take action to centrally control a heterogeneous mobile device environment;
* Implement technology to protect against all lost and stolen devices;
* Embrace productivity by supplementing mobile devices with security;
* Look to the cloud for solutions.

“The launch of our new Secure Mobility Management Solution today will benefit our government and enterprise level clients,” Neil Book, Chief Executive Officer, SMobile Systems added. “This product is designed to meet the unique needs of large organizations with multiple pain points, and a disparate and wide-spread user base.”

SMobile Secure Mobility Management Solutions provides outsourced mobile security administration, policy management and SMobile’s award winning suite of mobile security technologies. The solution supports Windows Mobile®, Symbian Series 60, BlackBerry®, iPhone and Google Android smartphones. The product’s services are hosted in a certified and highly secure Network Operations Center (NOC), and allow the company’s security experts to provide specific and customized solutions, policy configuration and management, 24×7 monitoring, customized best practices, and notification of global security events and concerns.

Key product attributes include:

* Centralized administration, policy management and reporting
* iPhone security management
* Proactive malware detection and removal
* Advanced protection for lost and stolen devices
* Monitoring and control of device messaging and online activities
* Robust anti-spam capabilities
* Application inventory and revocation
* Firewall

Mr. Book concluded, “SMobile has spent nearly eight years developing the world’s most sophisticated set of mobile security offerings. These products have been used by the U.S. Army, the Pentagon and other agencies of the Executive Branch of the Federal Government. Our Secure Mobility Management Solutions offering was developed after years of field use in the most rigorous technology laboratories in the world, and is ready for use more broadly in the corporate and government sectors.”

SMobile developed a white paper on best practices learned from the Cyber ShockWave event, which can be found at www.smobilesystems.com/cybershock

About SMobile Systems

SMobile Systems has created the first and only complete line of products and services that securely protect mobile phones and the global wireless infrastructure from hackers, viruses, data compromise, unauthorized data theft and the effects of lost or stolen devices. The company’s security applications include virus and malware detection, text message and data monitoring, spam blocking, enterprise management, protection for mobile professionals from harmful data on open networks and data security and password-protection for content and files. The company is privately held. SMobile Systems, Inc. (www.smobilesystems.com) is headquartered in Columbus, Ohio with facilities in Fort Lee, New Jersey, Dortmund, Germany and Pune, India.

Secure Mobility Management Solutions™ is a mark of SMobile Systems.

Windows Mobile® is a registered trademark of Microsoft.

BlackBerry® is a registered trademark of Research In Motion.

Media Contact: Charlotte Maumus
KCSA Strategic Communications
212.896.1269
cmaumus@kcsa.com

SOURCE SMobile Systems
Contact

Charlotte Maumus, KCSA Strategic Communications, +1-212-896-1269, cmaumus@kcsa.com

Obama’s new BlackBerry: The NSA’s secure PDA?

Filed Under: SMobile Press Room
Friday, January 22nd, 2010

Wireless devices: What price convenience?
One thing that security experts can agree on is that despite RIM’s efforts, a BlackBerry probably isn’t up to the security standards for a leader of the free (or even unfree) world.

BlackBerrys can become infected with viruses that install spyware or turn the microphone on and record conversations, malware can be inadvertently downloaded, e-mail and text messages can be intercepted, and, of course, they can be lost or stolen, said Dan Hoffman, chief technology officer of SMobile Systems, which sells antivirus software for the devices.

Read the Full Article on Securing the Presidential BlackBerry and SMobile Systems…

Mobile Parental Control Solution for Smartphones Launched By Net Nanny and SMobile Systems

Filed Under: SMobile Press Room
Monday, November 30th, 2009

New Net Nanny Mobile Powered by SMobile Systems Offers Parental Controls for Mobile Devices with Safety and Monitoring Features to Reduce Sexting, Loss and Theft, Online Predators and Exploitation

SALT LAKE CITY–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Smartphones just became safer, thanks to a partnership between ContentWatch, the developer of Net Nanny (www.netnanny.com), and SMobile Systems. The two companies have released a new mobile solution, Net Nanny Mobile, powered by SMobile Systems. With Net Nanny Mobile, parents have more tools to protect the growing legions of young mobile users from misconduct, exploitation, unwanted communications, sexting, loss and theft, cyber bullying, malware and online predators.

Net Nanny Mobile gives parents unprecedented control over the content on smartphones. Together, Net Nanny Mobile and Net Nanny for Windows give families a two-pronged solution for more complete peace of mind to know where your kids are; whether they are away from home or surfing online. Features of Net Nanny Mobile include the following:“We recognize how rapidly the number of young people using smartphones is growing, and we’ve been actively seeking a solution to address parents’ worries about increased mobile use,” said Jack Sunderlage, ContentWatch CEO. “SMobile Systems provides a quality product that we are extremely pleased to partner with and put the Net Nanny name on.”

SMobile Releases First Ever App Store Security Application to Protect Core iPhone Components

Filed Under: SMobile Press Room
Monday, August 24th, 2009

COLUMBUS, Ohio, Aug. 24 /PRNewswire/ — iPhone users can now protect sensitive core components of their iPhone devices, including personal and business contact information. Due to the lack of inherent encryption capabilities on most iPhones and the exposed weaknesses of iPhone 3GS encryption, personal contact information can easily be accessed from a lost, stolen or compromised device.

SMobile Systems’ ContactCrypt 1.6 is now available on the iTunes App Store. The software application is built to encrypt sensitive personal and business data including contact names, home addresses, account numbers, phone numbers, e-mail addresses and other critical data stored in the Contacts section of the iPhone. While other iPhone App Store encryption applications simply provide a vault mechanism to store user passwords, ContactCrypt is the first, third-party security application on the App Store to specifically protect and encrypt core components of the iPhone operating system itself. With the recent release of iPhone encryption for 3GS devices proven to be easily bypassed by numerous security experts, the release of ContactCrypt has become all the more critical.

Disney's iParenting.com Selects SMobile Systems Security Shield Parental Controls Edition as a '2009 Outstanding Product'

Filed Under: SMobile Press Room
Monday, August 10th, 2009

COLUMBUS, Ohio, Aug. 10 /PRNewswire/ — Disney’s iParenting.com has awarded SMobile Systems its “2009 Outstanding Product” award for its Security Shield Parental Controls software, which is designed to protect children from the growing dangers of online predators, sexting (sending sexual texts or picture messages), cyber bullying, spyware and device loss and theft.

“I can track my child through the GPS system, read emails and texts, look at call logs, and block certain numbers.,” said an iParenting Media Awards’ Reviewer. “The theft / GPS feature is the greatest thing included in this system because although kids want a phone, they are not always responsible for them and tend to misplace them; this system would pay for itself in the ability to find or relocate a lost phone. This product’s most positive characteristic is the peace of mind offered to the parent who is able to know what their teen is doing.”

One in 63 Smartphones Infected by Mobile Spyware and Malware

Filed Under: SMobile Press Room
Wednesday, July 29th, 2009

New Data from SMobile Systems’ Global Threat Center Reveals Stunning Influx of Malware on Symbian-Based Smartphones

COLUMBUS, Ohio, July 29 /PRNewswire/ — Nearly one out of every 63 smartphones powered by the Symbian operating system is infected with some form of malware, according to a new study conducted by SMobile Systems – the leading provider of security solutions for mobile phones.

The study of 1,958 smartphones revealed infections by Spyware, Viruses Worms and Trojans, as well as hundreds of unlicensed software programs installed on the handsets reviewed. A comparison of these statistics to the worldwide smartphone population places the number of infected devices globally into the millions. Because the vast majority of these infections are designed to be stealthy and the fact that few smartphones posses Anti-Malware applications, most infected users are completely unaware their devices have been compromised.

Blue Tech Selects SMobile Systems to Provide Mobile Security

Filed Under: SMobile Press Room
Monday, June 15th, 2009

Mobile Security Solutions Added To Catalog Of Network Systems Integration Offering

SAN DIEGO, June 15, 2009 – Blue Tech and SMobile Systems have partnered to provide mobile security by offering the entire line of SMobile Systems products and services to state, local and federal government end-users. This new partnership will broaden the range of options available to Blue Tech customers.

Software including SMobile Security Shield, SMobile Parental Controls and Monitoring, SMobile Anti-Theft and Identity Protection and SMobile VirusGuard for Google Android and Blackberry are now available to Blue Tech’s customers.

Read more about Blue Tech and SMobile…

Federal Government Designates SMobile Systems as Approved Vendor

Filed Under: SMobile Press Room
Monday, February 23rd, 2009

Mobile Security Software May Now Be Purchased to Protect Sensitive Government Communications and Data

COLUMBUS, Ohio, Feb 23, 2009 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ — – SMobile Systems, the leading provider of security solutions for mobile phones has received its GSA schedule contract # GS-35F-0179V. SMobile products are now available on GSA Advantage, the Federal Government procurement site.

“We have provided our services and security applications to a wide cross section of government agencies over the years,” said Neil Book, president of SMobile Systems. “However, until now agencies and departments that wanted to utilize our technology to secure their mobile devices had to go through a cumbersome process to receive approval for the purchase. Being on the GSA schedule not only means a shorter path to protecting some of the world’s most sensitive data, but it validates our company mission to provide the best mobile security software on the market.”