Multiple Platform Security now a critical requirement says Kaspersky Lab
Statistics* show that 13.9% of South African households own Tablet devices, and 66.3% of South Africans personally own a smartphone. What’s more, 74.2% of local tablet users indicate that they also use a desktop PC, laptop and smartphone – in essence, multiple devices, all of which access the Internet. But what percentage of these users have thought about security for these devices?
Says Alexander Erofeev, Head of Strategic Marketing and Brand Communication at Kaspersky Lab; “Smartphones, tablet devices and top-of-the-range notebooks are making both personal and business lives of many individuals much easier today, hence the reason why such devices are ultimate sellers! It is only a natural progression that users are pursing such devices as they offer an abundance of opportunity, especially for those constantly on the move. However, using multiple devices requires a multiple security platform as protecting ones PC only in this case is no longer enough. In line with this, Kaspersky Lab have recently released Kaspersky ONE, a multi-platform, user-centric Universal Security solution that brings comprehensive protection for the wide range of personal devices, starting from personal computers and notebooks and all the way to smartphones and tablets – exactly what is needed to simply security in today’s complex and multiple device environment, is it not?”
Multiple devices are used every day to access the Internet and with this comes the possibility of being exposed to potential security threats, malware and viruses. In fact, in August 2010, Kaspersky Lab identified the first Trojan for the Android platform, which masqueraded as a media player app. In less than a year, Android malware quickly exploded and became the most popular mobile malware category out there. This trend then became obvious in Q3 of 2011, in which Kaspersky Lab discovered over 40% of all the mobile malware they saw in 2011. Finally, critical mass was hit in November 2011 when they uncovered over 1000 malicious samples for Android, which is almost as many as all the mobile malware the company has discovered in the past six years!
Further to this, with the syncing abilities that these devices offer, viruses can cross pollinate from one device to another, in essence affecting all devices – causing major problems and serious security risks. “The reality today is that reliable protection is needed for all Internet-enabled devices, as the data stored across these devices needs to be protected. Security can no longer be seen as only a multi-layered approach, but also needs to be seen as a multi-platform one – ensuring that all aspects, and of course, all devices, are secure,” adds Erofeev.
The belief that only Windows systems need to be protected can be laid to rest. It may be true that there is less malware for various alternative platforms, however real threats that are entirely unrelated to the given operating system are still very much an issue. Cyber criminals are out to make big money no matter the platform or device being used. The lowest common denominator of all these devices is Internet access.
“The diversity of traditional hardware and smart mobile devices is fast leading the industry to the realisation of the need for multi-platform security and device users need to pay attention to the universal security required for these devices, whether in an individual, family or business setting – these devices need to be protected today to ensure the safety and protection of personal information and data for tomorrow,” concludes Erofeev.
