Infosecurity got a chance to catch up this week with Kevin Mahaffey, the firm’s CTO, who is a regular presenter at various security shows, notably BlackHat and DefCon.
He told us is that mobile malware is currently doubling every four months, which is hardly surprising as many UK IT users cite their smartphone as their `most important gadget’, even though few of us take proper security precautions.
The Lookout range of free mobile apps, says Mahaffey, have been downloaded by more than 12 million users, a half a million of which are located in the UK, and to whom a localised update is in the process of being rolled out.
Interestingly, the Lookout CTO claims that just under 50% of the UK population now has a smartphone and, in a survey that his firm carried out recently, 46% said that their smartphone is their most important possession – more important than their car or laptop computer.
The most precious information carried on mobile phones, meanwhile, is friends and family contact numbers (35%) and photos (32%). Amazingly, 40% of UK consumers admitted their phones had been compromised, which has cost them money (21%), compromised employer information (6%) or even their bank account (3.5%).
The problem, says Mahaffey, is that few smartphone users in the UK the appropriate steps to protect it. More than 85%, he said, do not have a way to track down their lost or stolen mobile device, and 74% do not regularly back up their contacts and personal information.
Lookout offers a free security app for Android smartphones and tablets, as well as the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, that includes security, basic data backup and find-my-phone capabilities, as well as cross-platform, remote management for multiple devices.
The pay-for options in the app include safe browsing, a privacy advisor and remote lock-and-wipe facilities. These cost £1.99 a month or £19.99 a year, says Mahaffey.