In the first agreement of its kind on the African continent, Kaspersky Lab, the largest anti-virus company in Europe, has formed a strategic partnership with MTN, Africa's leading telecommunications company, to further protect customers' smartphones from all types of IT threats as well as confidential data leaks from lost or stolen devices.
With increased business mobility (through the use of smartphones, laptops, and even USB flash drives) the possibilities for viruses and other malware to enter the system increases, and Kaspersky Mobile Security 8.0 is unrivalled in terms of cutting-edge technologies, providing an unprecedented level of protection against the wide range of threats facing smartphone users globally.
The multimillion-rand deal will see all new contract customers on selected Nokia and HTC smartphones bundled with Kaspersky Lab's Mobile Security 8.0 - allowing contract users to safeguard their phones and confidential information from attacks by hackers and mobile worms that spread via Bluetooth and WiFi connections. The rollout of the first phase has already commenced and will expand further over the course of the next few months.
“Having engaged with the service provider around such an initiative, we spent considerable time in ensuring such an agreement would provide the value-proposition they were looking for, and of course, ensuring that it is sustainable,” said Simon Campbell-Young, CEO of Phoenix Software, a value-added distributor of Kaspersky Lab. “Kaspersky Mobile Security 8.0 was undoubtedly the product of choice and having trained the service provider's call centre on user and compatibility concerns - this agreement is sure to have a positive impact on the mobility security landscape going forward.”
Customers will be able to download Kaspersky Lab's Mobile Security 8.0 free from the MTN Web site or obtain a free activation key from MTN outlets.
Key features of Kasperksy Lab's Mobile Security 8.0 include:
* Kasperksy Lab SMS-Find can locate the exact whereabouts of a lost smartphone - after sending an SMS with a password to the lost device, the user receives a link to Google Maps containing its exact co-ordinates.
* The Anti-theft module 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.
* If the SIM card is removed from a lost or stolen phone, the SIM Watch module sends a hidden message notifying the owner of the new number. This function ensures the owner can delete data from or block the smartphone no matter what the circumstances. Moreover, law enforcement agencies can use the new number to track down the stolen device and return it to its rightful owner.
* Mobile Security 8.0 provides a safe-folder within the smartphone, which contents are permanently encrypted and only accessible with a user-defined password. When the password is entered, the folder will remain accessible to enhance usability until KMS detects a period of inactivity.
* The parental control component enables parents to restrict the sending and receiving of messages to a child's phone (eg, premium rate numbers, adult content services, etc).
* The Anti-spam module not only blocks unsolicited messages but also calls, protecting users from fraudsters and obtrusive advertising, and the anti-virus scanner automatically scans all incoming and modified objects.
“This is an exciting time for Kaspersky Lab and Africa as we head into 2010,” said Garry Kondakov, managing director for Kaspersky Lab EEMEA region “Our vision is clear: provide unprecedented level of protection from malware and other external threats. Certainly this partnership with Phoenix Software and MTN allows to us to continue to pursue such a vision for Africa.”
Share