The slightly more open nature of the Android platform means that it is somewhat more prone to security problems than iOS and this means that there is a market for security software. avast! Mobile Security is a beta version of a protection suite from Avast Software who are best known for their desktop protection software. The mobile version of the app includes not only an antivirus component, but also a web shield to help protect against the threat of malware.
The app also provides a number of protection features that will prove useful if you phone should ever be stolen. You can use the app to track the location of your phone via GPS and even use remote SMS commands to perform tasks such as remote wiping of data and sounding an alarm. Other useful features include the ability to receive a notification should the SIM card be changed, complete with details of the new number and the location of the device.
If you has taken the step of rooting your phone, which in theory could open it up to more security threats, it is actually possible to help improve your security by taking advantage of avast’s firewall. But whether you are using a rooted or an untouched device, the app does an excellent job of hiding itself so it should be undetected by anyone who should steak your phone – this means that it cannot be disabled or removed easily.
It is a shame that some of the options available in the app require your phone to be rooted – such as staying active even after a hard reset – but even so this is a great protection tool. With so many individual components available, each protecting your Android device in a different way, this is an incredibly valuable addition to your phone which will help keep your protected whether you are a victim of theft or not.
avast! Mobile Security v3 brings these improvements:
+ New App Locking feature (Premium)
+ New Ad Detector feature in Privacy Advisor (Premium)
+ Dashboard redesign, plus additional interface changes to improve user experience
+ New features inside Anti-Theft (e.g. Geo-fencing, picture taking)
+ New Backup functionality
+ Bulgarian language added
