APP OF THE DAY: Lookout Mobile Security (Android)
We’re increasingly being told that it’s just as important to set up virus security on our phones as it is our computers, but it’s something we tend to overlook. For many, the tipping point may well be last month’s Samsung dialler exploit, where triggering a click-and-call phone number from a dodgy website led to a potentially irreversible phone wipe. Not fun.
So it’s a well-timed update to the mobile security app from Lookout for Android devices, which looks to address this problem among others.
As mentioned, a Safe Dialler has been added to protect against dialler-based attacks, scanning numbers for dodgy redirects when accessed from a mobile browser.
There’s also a new Signal Flare feature, which will be a lifesaver for those who regularly misplace their phone. Lookout already had a “Find My Phone” feature, but Signal Flare lets the phone send a quick burst of location data to the Lookout web portal when a phone is running out of battery, meaning you’ll have the last known location of a lost phone when a dead battery prevents you from ringing it.
Much of this this runs in the background unobtrusively, but fire up Lookout and its Activity Feed makes it very clear exactly what the app is doing to protect your phone. Though it’s constantly running in the background, its power draw is so minimal as to not affect battery levels in any noticeable way.
For returning users, the most obvious change will be the way the app looks. The Lookout team have gone back to the drawing board with the design of Lookout, going for a style now more in line with standard Android OS conventions. It’s clean and easy to navigate, and looks far slicker than previous versions.
All this has been added to Lookout’s solid virus definitions database, used in 170 countries by 25 million people to block millions of spyware, malware and trojan threats, as well as the app’s back-up features, remote lock and wipe abilities and the privacy advisor, which scans apps to help you find out exactly what sort of information they have access too.
“The mobile landscape has changed dramatically since we launched in 2007. Everything has evolved, from what we do on our phones to the threats that face them,” said Kevin Mahaffey, co-founder and CTO of Lookout.
“With the redesign of Lookout Mobile Security, we wanted to solve the problems facing people on mobile today and also stay ahead of the threats of tomorrow. We want people to feel empowered to do whatever on their mobile devices whenever – so as new services and capabilities come out, people can feel safe.”
Grab the app for free by clicking here. Lookout Premium features (including Safe Browsing, Remote Lock and Wipe, the Privacy Advisor and advanced backup features) costs £19.99 a year, or £1.99 a month
