ESET Launches Antivirus for Smartphones

[Guest Paul (MVP)]

Another AV vendor comes to Windows Mobile! The press release...

ESET Launches Antivirus for Smartphones

June 16, 2008

ESET Mobile Antivirus Optimizes Heuristic Detection for Mobile Platform; Beta Delivers Unprecedented Speed and Accuracy

San Diego, June 16, 2008 – ESET®, the leader in proactive threat protection, today announced the introduction of ESET Mobile Antivirus, a new security solution for mobile devices. This lightweight anti-malware software takes the company's state-of-the-art heuristic technology and optimizes it for the mobile platform.

"Widespread mobile attacks are inevitable in the near future and yet it is likely that these first attacks will be hard to find before they've done their damage," said Brian Burke, program director, Security Products, IDC. "Companies like ESET who are effectively applying their proactive protection to the mobile platform are most readily-equipped to identify and prevent the risks that will slip by most signature-based AV solutions."

One of the biggest challenges for mobile security is the limited memory, processing and bandwidth capabilities inherent with a small platform. Traditional antivirus approaches, with large and frequent signature updates, cannot be successfully applied to a mobile environment without significantly impacting the phone's performance.

Available now in Beta for Windows Mobile users, ESET Mobile Antivirus is able to detect mobile malware attacks while delivering the same highly-effective, non-intrusive experience on handsets as on PC platforms. With its small footprint, efficient use of processing power and compact update files, ESET Mobile Antivirus is an effective solution for mobile platforms which have significant memory, processing and bandwidth constraints.

ESET Mobile Antivirus features and benefits include:

• On-demand Scanning — Contains scanning and cleaning of integrated and exchangeable memory media, and a full memory/running processes scan. Specific folder scanning is included and results are displayed after a scan.
  
• Advanced On-access Scanning — Scans all created/used files with enhanced virus detection capabilities at access time. ESET Mobile Antivirus scans incoming files via wireless connections as well (Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Infrared).
  
• Activity Log — Stores statistics about accomplished scanning tasks and latest database status in a user-friendly format. A variable range of scan results-history is included.
  
• Variable In-depth Scanning of Cab Files — Enables users to set the level of cab files scanning to the preferred depth.
  
• Automatic/On-demand Updates — Ensures up-to-date protection against all threat types. Users can schedule updates on a daily, weekly or monthly basis. Daily updates are set by default, and users are also allowed to switch off automatic updates if they prefer.
  
• Intuitive User Interface — Users' experience is enhanced by easy-to-set dialogs and intuitive menu.
  
• Compact Updates — ESET's update files are typically a fraction of the size of solutions that are more dependent upon signatures, consuming less bandwidth to the mobile device (this benefits carriers and users).
  

"Our research indicates that consumers and businesses are looking for a solution that will combat the imminent problem of mobile malware with maximum protection, minimal performance impact and small daily updates," said Anton Zajac, CEO of ESET, LLC. "With more and more users requiring mobile devices to send sensitive e-mail and SMS messages, we set out to build the optimal solution for mobile users—an intelligent mobile solution that offers the same level of protection they've come to expect from ESET."

Availability

ESET Mobile Antivirus is currently in Beta and available for free. General availability is expected later this year.

To download and test ESET Mobile Antivirus in Beta, please visit www.eset.com/emabeta.

It is of course an interesting discussion... there ARE really no WinMo virii in the wild, and yet when one DOES propogate, you probably want to be protected. Are these valuable products or just playing on people's concerns? Is it a pitch to a digilent corporate marketplace?

Discuss! :D

P

[Guest Alex (nedge2k)]

If anything, this could encourage people to make viruses, no?

[Guest Paul (MVP)]

How so?

P

[Guest Alex (nedge2k)]

Well, i'd see a new anti virus prog as a new challenge - if i were that way inclined of course :D

[Guest tsutton]

there ARE really no WinMo virii in the wild, and yet when one DOES propogate, you probably want to be protected.

But they have to catch it first, develop a new DAT, test it and then release it for downloading.

Before then, your phone would be infected. :D

[Guest Confucious]

These programs are virii themselves - spread through FUD

I wouldn't let one near my phone!

[Guest chucky.egg]

I'd "never" have something like this on my device - apart from anything else it'd run like a dog if Trend on my lappy is anything to judge by.

When we need AV for devices I'll drop out and buy myself a pager.

Actually, my first thought was "why is this news?"

We've seen AV products before with no "V" for them to "A", why does this make the front page?

[Guest Paul (MVP)]

To spark this discussion :D

P

[Guest awarner (MVP)]

I would still be very surprised to actually see a virus on the phone. I know symbian devices have had them but the only way to be infected is to install an aplication etc that was infected.

from what I remember the only way the Symbian virus was spread was by people downloading an alledged free app rather than it's paid version, so in some respects you do get what you pay for :D

[Guest Confucious]

The price of symbian apps I'm not suprised - but people that do that shouldn't be surprised if they get problems.

On WM AFAIK there is no virus out in the wild and AV s/ware just slows down the device and causes a lot more problems than it's worth. I'd steer well clear!