Computer viruses and malware have become such an expected part of the Internet experience that it has become the habit of every Windows PC user to install some sort of security software product. Most PCs sold in retail stores now even come pre-loaded with antivirus software to product buyers from the outset.
But despite being connected to the Internet 24/7, we haven’t taken the same approach to protecting our mobile devices. That’s in part because the threat of attack just wasn’t as big. Until recently, the smartphone market was still in its nascent stages of growth and users were fragmented across many different platforms. That meant there was no big target of users for hackers to target. But Google’s Android is changing that – offering both an open source system that is potentially more prone to exploitation, and becoming the dominant mobile operating system on the market.
McAfee has updated its app in Google Play to include more privacy features.
So the security software vendors have quickly followed up with mobile security apps you can download for Android. McAfee announced today that its app has been updated in Google Play to include more privacy features and permissions management for apps. The app has also been download more than 1 million times, McAfee claims. So Android users are getting into the habit of securing their smartphones with software, just like PC users.
Other options in Google Play to protect against malware are Norton Antivirus & Security, Kaspersky Mobile Security, Avast! Mobile Security, and AVG Mobilation AntiVirus. There are both free options and paid options available.
McAfee Mobile Security can be downloaded from Google Play and used in trial mode for seven days. After that, you can buy the full version for $29.99 from within the app.
