With the advent of malware in the Android marketplace, McAfee has created their solution. The problem of having an infected smartphone is always present. McAfee has decided to do something about that.
McAfee has not forgotten about the Android platform. They have created a security suite designed in two versions to protect those who use this mobile operating system. The offer does not come for free. Their lighter program, called Wavesecure, is $19.99 a year and the full-service version is ten dollars more. They call that full-service version “McAfee Mobile Security”.
Since Android has become the focus of malware attacks, it is wise to take a look at the McAfee option. Hackers are always on the prowl, looking for the unprepared. A set of apps ( applications ) from the Android marketplace were recently copied from legitimate apps, infected with a trojan and reloaded on the same marketplace. Google ended up zapping them from the app lineup. Before they did, thousands of smartphones were infected. Other apps that infect the Android system masquerade as security fixes. Luckily, names like McAfee and Lookout are well-known names in computer security circles.
McAfee has a feature that alerts users to the presence of infected web sites. They call this “Siteadvisor”. These warnings are meant to warn surfers of the presence of phishing sites, credit card fraud, identity theft sites and more. It works by presenting a color coded rating next to search results. The desktop version works the same way. The same problems inherent in the desktop version are also present in the Android variant. The McAfee program will slow down web searches. With Wi-Fi, this may not be such a big problem, but with 3G it will be painful. The mobile life is not prone to be a slow one, and handicapped Android searches are bad news for this security suite.
The better news is that McAfee allows a seven day trial of their software. The user can check it out for free to see if it fits their needs. With any software it is good practice to give it a thorough testing to see how compatible it really is. The McAfee company is not always first to find malware on Android devices, so weighing the options is a wise choice before throwing down money.
Audible alarms are included with McAfee as well as the ability to wipe a smartphone clean of information. This comes in handy if a smartphone is lost or stolen. These features were a part of generic Android, but it looks like McAfee wants to make sure people make use of it. For those who take Android security seriously, McAfee now stands ready to help.
