Avast Software has launched a free security product for Android smartphones and Android tablets that combines antivirus, anti-theft and firewall components and provides special features for rooted devices.
Avast Free Mobile Security supports a number of features that are usually available only in paid-for Android security software. These include privacy reports, call and SMS filtering, SIM-card change notifications, firewall and application management. See also: Free Android antivirus 'doesn't work'
The antivirus component supports real-time protection and automatic updates. Updates can be configured to only be downloaded over certain types of connections and the interface can be protected with a password.
Avast Free Mobile Security offers protection against Web-based threats through a component that integrates with the default Android browser, which is a feature missing from some other free Android security products. See also: Best Android Apps
The product can also scan installed applications for potential privacy issues by analyzing their system permissions. This information is presented to users under the form of a privacy report that explains what risks are associated with certain levels of access.
Call and SMS filtering can help device owners block annoying advertising calls or spam text messages. Users can define groups of phone numbers and configure the blocking intervals for them.
The firewall component is only available for rooted devices because it requires special system-level access to enforce its rules. Device owners can use it to block individual applications from accessing the Internet over certain types of connections.
For example, if a user likes a particular game, but is unhappy with the fact that it requires Internet access, they can can install it and then block its access from the firewall.
The anti-theft features in Avast Free Mobile Security are comparable to those offered in commercial products. They include remote device tracking, locking and wiping. Users can define two phone numbers that will receive notifications if the device is lost or stolen and which can control it via SMS commands.
The Avast developers have tried their best to make the anti-theft component very hard to detect, disable or uninstall by unauthorized users, especially on rooted devices.
The component can run in what is known as stealth mode, which allows users to rename it and to use a generic icon for it. When stealth mode is active, the anti-theft interface can only be accessed by initiating a phone call to a user-defined password.
On rooted phones, the component can provide protection against hard resets, a special action that returns the phone to factory settings; can deny access to the phone's settings and program manager; can prevent activating USB debugging, a mode that allows the device to be altered by computer software; can force the data connection to always be on and can enable the GPS module.
A device is locked down automatically when the SIM card is changed or can be locked down via an SMS command. The array of supported commands except phone locking is extensive and includes message forwarding, phone call initiating, starting a siren, getting location information, wiping all data, downloading contacts, rebooting the phone and many others.
Comments
Scott said: Many many thanks for this review -- its great to see PCAs journalism providing the kind of constructive comment which helps Android users make an informed decision unlike a certain research project by a certain survey lab I wont mentionIm a user of Avast for Android and for my PCs and rate it as one of the best specialist software developers out there What it offers for free is frequently even better than commercialware can manage -- witness my recent clearing of a friends computer of the nasty Zwangi root-kit this achieved simply by asking Avast to run on boot then shutting down re-booting and letting Avast do its work before Windows even loaded Thanks again PCA -- and no I have no connection with Avast other than as a longtime satisfied user Merry Christmas to all