This year, anticipating a high increase in malicious app activity on Android phones, Trend Micro is introducing version 3.0 of its Mobile Security & Antivirus app, which includes a privacy scanner meant to check your Facebook privacy settings and remind you of options that may need adjusting.
A sizable chunk of Facebook’s billion-or-so users can probably attest to their lack of awareness about the site’s privacy settings, and the fact that Facebook constantly comes up with new features that may compromise users’ privacy even further does not help. Knowing this, along with the number of Android device users on the rise, Trend Micro hopes to address potential security breaches that could be incurred with its all-in-one mobile app, formally launched this week at the Mobile World Congress exhibition in Barcelona.
Along with the free, stand-alone Privacy Scanner for Facebook app, Trend Micro also offers a mobile backup-and-restore function that allows smartphone users to automatically transfer data to the company’s secure servers. The first 50MB of backup space is offered for free while an addition 5GB is available for $2 a month.
The premium version Mobile Security 3.0 offers a data theft scanner that flags apps that may steal your info; a surf, text, and call filter that shields you from undesirable content and contact, and theft protection that allows you to locate, lock, and erase information from your missing phone.
Khoi Nguyen, Head of Consumer Mobile Business at Trend Micro, says the app’s better interface design and more efficient scanning effectively cater to their user’s needs. “Our users demand simplicity, however they also want that constant feeling of security. This latest version of Trend Micro Mobile Security accomplishes both, allowing our customers to enjoy their digital lives safely.”
A free version of Trend Micro Mobile Security & Antivirus is available on Google Play, but a paid version that comes complete with all features is also available for $29.99.