OREANDA-NEWS. October 10, 2012. Kaspersky Lab announces the update of its security solution for Android-based smartphones. The new version of Kaspersky Mobile Security brings two important additions to its wide-ranging anti-malware and anti-theft feature set. Extra support for the Web Management console offers easier control over lost and stolen smartphones, while a new Mugshot feature makes it possible to take photos of anyone using your device without permission. The number of malicious programs targeting smartphones almost trebled in the second quarter of 2012, with close to 15,000 new threats appearing in April-June. Over 90% of all mobile malware is aimed at Android-based devices, making this platform the most vulnerable to cybercriminals. Kaspersky Mobile Security is one of the best solutions in terms of detecting and blocking various types of Android malware, as confirmed by independent tests. The solution from Kaspersky Lab also detects and blocks malicious websites when using the standard Android web browser.

Two key features introduced in the new version target another important feature set of Kaspersky Mobile Security, aimed at protecting your data if your smartphone is lost or stolen. Kaspersky Lab’s customers can now control the lost device using the special Web Management portal.

This portal makes it possible to wipe the data on the smartphone or restore the factory settings, locate the device using an internal GPS receiver, or block the device so the data stored on it will not fall into the wrong hands. It remains possible to control the device remotely via special SMS-based commands, and the SIM Watch function continues to offer an alternative method of remote control.

The Mugshot feature, previously only available with Kaspersky Tablet Security solution for Android-based tablets, is another way of collecting more data about a smartphone thief. Activated via the Web Management interface, it takes photos of anyone using the smartphone using the front-facing camera. These photos are uploaded to a portal where the smartphone owner can view them.

“In this update we’ve paid specific attention to anti-theft features. We know that consumers often lose important data when their smartphone is lost or stolen. According to a recent survey, 14% of users have experienced an incident of this kind. The new version of Kaspersky Mobile Security adds additional functionality in order to increase the chances of recovering a lost or stolen device,” commented Victor Dronov, Head of Mobile Products division, Kaspersky Lab.