Smartphone Security

Computer Care: Keep your smartphone secure against malware, infections

By Arthur Glazer

glazer.tech@gmail.com

	POSTED: April 20, 2013 1:00 a.m.

Today’s smartphones allow us mobile access to so much more information than ever before. We can take charge of our schedule, email, texts, social networking, computing, Web browsing, banking and more. But what if you weren’t the only one that had control of all that sensitive information in your mobile phone?

Security applications are currently available for smartphones and most of them are free, but few of us take advantage of them. All it takes is for you to download and install an app that clandestinely allows another user to have the same access and control over your phone’s information as you do. There goes your contacts list, your photos and perhaps your checking account.

According to Symantec, there have been hackers who installed their own code in apps that were downloaded from the Internet that allowed full access to mobile phones, sensitive data and banking info included.

Last year, more than 32 million Android phones became infected with malware. That’s three times the amount of the previous year.

Currently, Android phones are more susceptible to these rogue infections than iPhones, simply due to the fact that Apple only allows downloads from its app store. With Android, you can get an app from anywhere.

The best course of action is to scrutinize what you download to your phone and use only trusted sources for those downloads.

If you must live on the computing edge as I do, at least install some protective utility to your phone. Most anti-virus companies that have apps for computers, also have apps for phones, and as I mentioned, many are free.

I now have a comprehensive utility called Advanced Mobile Care 3.0 on my Android. It is from Iobit, the folks who created Advanced System Care for your computer. So far, so good. It’s easy to use and to my knowledge, I have not been infected.

What they call a Swiss Army Knife of tools for the mobile user, it scans for viruses and malware, cleans clutter, has a battery saver, protects your privacy and has the ability to kill tasks, if necessary. It’s available from iobit.com or from Google Play on your phone.

The folks at AVG, McAfee, Symantec, Trend Micro, Dr. Web, ESET, Avast, Kaspersky, F-Secure, Sophos, Lookout Security and others have similar apps for download. Just as with tools for your computer, most offer free utilities as well as their premium versions of the same programs with more bells and whistles and better security. In the end, you get what you pay for.

You need to decide which you want by trying one or two. See how they work on your phone. Is the interface easy to use? Does it use too many resources that finding your way to other apps become encumbered? Does it have the intended protection?

Go to the App Store (iPhone) or Google Play (Android) to see what’s currently being offered. Remember what’s at stake here. Even the paid premium versions of the security app cost only a few dollars. For what you get in return, it’s worth a few bucks for the protection.

Some of these utilities offer more than others, so take a few out for a test drive. Security is what we are after here, but if a junk cleaner or battery extender is thrown in, it may be worth considering.

When I look for an app to download, I take heed in what other users have said about it in feedback. Google Play is similar to CNET’s download.com in that there is user feedback. If too many users agree the utility is hard to use or it freezes their phones, I move on to the next one.

Often it’s the phone that had issues, not the app. So pay attention if it’s all HTC users or everyone with a Samsung that can’t use certain apps; it may not be the app.

Don’t feel too superior if you are an iPhone user. Just as with Apple computers, you are not invulnerable. Virus and malware writers have focused on PCs due to the sheer volume of them versus Apple products.

Now that Apple has a huge market in the mobile phone arena, it’s only a matter of time until the iPhones begin to become infected, too. It’s time we all took a hard look at our mobile phone security.

The ACLU recently argued with the FTC that AT&T, Sprint, Verizon and T-Mobile do not offer adequate security for their mobile customers. Although Google has beefed up security more with each new version of its Android Operating System, the phone companies have not.

Be it so, or not, I wouldn’t wait for your carrier to provide a defense against hackers for your mobile phone. It’s your phone, your data and ultimately it’s your responsibility.

Arthur Glazer is a freelance writer and computer technician in Gainesville. His column appears biweekly on the Business page and on gainesvilletimes.com.

Smartphones

UPDATED: April 28, 2012 12:30 a.m.

Computer Care: Hard now to imagine living without a smartphone

	By Arthur Glazerglazer.tech@gmail.com Posted: April 28, 2012 1 a.m. UPDATED: April 28, 2012 12:30 a.m.

	When I got my first flip cell phone back in the mid-90s, I truly felt like Captain Kirk communicating with the Enterprise. But that was all we were able to do back then: talk. Now we can chat, text, email and browse the Web. With our phones, we can read maps or books, use voice recognition, shop, access financial services, get boarding passes, scan bar codes, make and accept payments, take photos and videos, play games or music, watch movies or TV and do it all with a device no larger than a wallet. Not every one has those capabilities though. You do need a smartphone. There are plain cellphones (like the old clamshell-type), feature-rich phones and the smartphone. There are 6 billion mobile phones in use on the planet with almost three-quarters of them smartphones. Over 85 percent of the world’s population has mobile phones. Three billion have texting capabilities and one third of them access Facebook regularly. Only about 35 percent of Americans owned a smartphone as of this time last year. Currently, Android beats the iPhone worldwide, but in the U.S., Apple has a slight edge over the Android phones. Personally, I’m an Android guy. I like to tinker, change settings, fonts, backgrounds widgets and the like. If you just want a simple out-of-box experience, then the iPhone is probably for you. Internet accesses via mobile phones have increased over the past few years to 10 percent of total Internet access. In 2011, 8 trillion text messages were sent. In 2009, I sent about eight. I was one of those who initially thought I didn’t need a smartphone. Two decades earlier, I thought I didn’t need a computer and then saw no reason to get a laptop. Society eventually changed my mind and I now use all of them. Although I could survive without them, they all make my life easier. I could live without a stove or dishwasher, too, but why should I? I’ve gone from eight texts in a year to about eight daily. It is the choice method of communication between my girls and me. It’s fast and not intrusive. Two years ago, I thought I could wait until I got home to check my email. But now if I don’t call someone back ASAP, I realize they may go elsewhere to get their computer tuned up. I’ve discovered how much easier my phone makes so many things to do. I’ve grown accustomed to its interface. Having a GPS in my phone is wonderful. I don’t get lost anymore looking for obscure addresses. I fear not when I hear, “Go about another two miles after you turn off the paved road.” I use voice recognition to make calls in my car and ask my virtual assistant what the expected weather will be like. My daily agenda is in my phone. So is my calendar, my address book, camera and photo album, computer, clock, stop watch, radio, scanner, television, alarm, calculator, translator, encyclopedia, flashlight, navigator, voice recorder, notebook, weather station, e-book reader, texter and, oh yeah, my communication device. It’s also a gaming device, but that’s one function I don’t use — not even on my computer. I simply have better things to do than shoot angry birds or shuffle cards about. Perhaps it’s an age thing. Smartphones used to cost a bundle as did the bundle of options that came with them. But as prices for the devices decreased, so has usage plans. I used to pay more than $160 for three lines and now pay $72 for the same options. You can still pay a lot if you’re not careful. Mobile computing is evolving. By 2015, money spent on mobile advertising is expected to exceed $20 billion worldwide. Mobile shopping is anticipated to reach $119 billion that year. As the smartphone evolves, Wi-Fi is becoming more widespread. Globally, it is beginning to increase at an exponential rate. Where it used to be available for a fee in places like coffeehouses, it’s now free. Many municipalities worldwide now offer free Internet access. More will certainly follow their example. Whether you like it or not, we are a connected society. You can check your voicemail, your balance or your Facebook status as easily as you check up on your family. If you have a smartphone, it’s your key to connectivity. Just like my knife, my phone is always in my pocket. I never know when I’ll need it. The smart mobile phone is like an electronic Swiss Army knife. Although it doesn’t cut, it has many blades. Some of them are hidden; some you use more than others; all of them are sharp with a well-honed edge. I can only wonder how this ubiquitous device will evolve. As time passes, they will be faster, cheaper and yes, smaller. As they grow more diminutive, we may soon be wearing them in our glasses or watches, possibly even as subcutaneous chips implanted in us. Even Mr. Spock would agree that the technology is indeed — fascinating. Arthur Glazer is a freelance writer and computer technician in Gainesville. His column appears biweekly on the Business page and on gainesvilletimes.com.