Kaspersky Lab has unveiled its beta version of Kaspersky Mobile Security 8.0, which it says is designed to protect smartphones from all types of IT threats, as well as confidential data leaks from lost or stolen devices.
“SMS Find can locate the exact whereabouts of a lost smartphone (for devices with GPS). After sending an SMS with a password to the lost device, the user receives a link to Google Maps containing its exact co-ordinates,” says Stanislav Shevchenko, deputy VP of research and development: industry trends, mobile security, security education system and IT recruitment, at Kaspersky.
The anti-theft module of Kaspersky Mobile Security 8.0 makes it possible for the owner of a lost or stolen smartphone to remotely block access to or completely wipe the memory of the device, by simply sending a codeword via SMS to his/her number, he adds.
If the SIM card is removed from a lost or stolen phone, the SIM Watch module in Kaspersky Mobile Security 8.0 sends a hidden message notifying the owner of the new number, he says. This function ensures the owner can delete data from or block the smartphone, no matter what the circumstances are. “Moreover, law enforcement agencies can use the new number to track down the stolen device and return it to its rightful owner.”
The parental control component that Shevchenko says is new to Kaspersky Mobile Security 8.0, enables parents to restrict the sending and receiving of messages to a child's phone (eg, premium rate numbers, adult content services, etc.). The solution's SMS Find function also allows parents to locate their children if their smartphones have GPS.
The updated version includes an improved anti-spam module. The spam filter blocks unsolicited messages and also calls, protecting users from fraudsters and obtrusive advertising. “This product can function in white-list mode, only accepting calls and messages from specified contacts; or in blacklist mode, accepting calls and messages from all numbers except those in the list.