Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Free Android Virus Scanner

The world of mobile computing is becoming increasingly risky. Viruses and other malware have been identified in both the Android and iOS marketplaces. As an Android user I've seen quite a number of different antivirus options on the market but until recently they were either a) from a developer I'd never heard of or b) expensive. Luckily I recently came across ESET Mobile Security RC.

I've used ESET Nod32 for desktop virus protection in my professional work and found it to be decently secure without requiring the obscene overhead of some other products. This product appears to be similarly light on resource usage while providing a complete suite of mobile security.

What do you get in the package? Well, real-time virus protection for one. ESET also provides call/sms spam protection with white and black list functionality. The security audit function scans installed applications and settings for anything untoward which could potentially leave you open for problems. The program also includes the ability to password protect any or all of these functions with a master password.

I've saved the best for last, though. ESET Mobile Security RC includes anti-theft functionality. With this program installed you can issue commands to your phone via SMS. Available commands are 'wipe' which clears your personal data, 'lock' which prevents use without your password, and 'find' which returns your phone's location data. In addition you can specify trusted contacts which are other phones (friends or family) from whose phones you could reset your password remotely if necessary.

True, it's only a release candidate and will likely cost a bundle when finally released, but this seems to be an awesome product. Grab it while it's free and give it a spin!

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