Chances are, you have an antivirus program installed on your personal computer. You may not, however, have the same sort of protection for your smartphone. If you don’t, you’re certainly not alone. Being part of a majority, however, doesn’t make the data on your smartphone safe. The same threats that lurk in cyber land can attack your phone as easily as a personal computer, but there isn’t a lot of attention being given in the media and other venues about viruses on smartphones. So, despite that lack of attention, should you install antivirus protection on your smartphone?
The truth is that you should. Smartphones are fast becoming the prime method of accessing the Internet, and the amount and nature of sensitive data on these devices puts you, your business, and even others whom you hold dear at risk. Since many viruses are designed to gain access to personal information on devices, the risks are greater than you may think.
We may not think about installing antivirus applications on our smartphones because it doesn’t address a widespread problem at this time. In the near future, however, viral attacks on phones is inevitable. From an employer’s standpoint, the need to protect smartphones is even more important than on a personal level. With more and more business being conducted via handheld devices, a virus on a smartphone has the potential to interrupt operations, causing costly delays and compromising sensitive company data.
Security software applications that can protect smartphones are available for download. Look for one that is not just vigilant against malware, however. It should also provide an option to remotely wipe smartphones clean in the case of a viral attack to protect company data as well as have a GPS location feature to facilitate easy recovery. Another feature experts recommend in a security software application is the ability to limit the types of applications employees download onto their company-provided smartphones.