security

Aug

[Mobile Security App Shootout, Part 4] TekTrak Offers Basic Security Controls And Unique, Sophisticated Location Tracking

Posted by Liam Spradlin in App Reviews, Mobile Security App Shootout

Fourth in our lineup of Security apps is TekTrak, from the developer of the same name. TekTrak exists as one of the lesser-known security apps, but nonetheless delivers on its promises of finding and controlling a lost or stolen device.

At A Glance

Function-wise TekTrak operates as a no-frills security app. It has all of the basics, but not too many of the really interesting features (snapping photos remotely, recording audio, root support) that we've come to love from other apps. The installation process is similar to other security apps, asking for an email address (as your username) and a password before granting access to the online controls.

Aug

[New App] 'Secure Settings' Brings An Insane Amount Of Advanced And Root Features To Tasker/Locale Users

Posted by Cameron Summerson in Applications, News

We recently started a new series of posts called the Mobile Security App Shootout, which focuses on keeping our devices safe and recovering them if lost or stolen. Along those same lines comes an amazing Tasker/Locale plugin centered around the device security called Secure Settings.

Designed for Android 2.2+, Secure Settings offers a plethora of features for both rooted and non-rooted users, including quick keyguard toggle and lock, Linux run command, set or reset password/pin, device wake, or wireless ADB (root only). With the help of Secure Settings Helper, rooted users can also take advantage of more advanced features such as the ability to enable/disable ADB, enable/disable GPS, enable/disable pattern lock, and much more.

Aug

[Mobile Security App Shootout, Part 2] SeekDroid Sooths Your Lost-Device Woes With Clean Interface And Excellent Functionality

Posted by Liam Spradlin in App Reviews, Mobile Security App Shootout

Next in line for our Mobile Security App Shootout is SeekDroid, an app that has no problem standing out in the crowded security app arena thanks to its sleek interface, smooth functionality, and manageable price tag; not to mention the adorable James Bond - style Android on the splash screen.

At a Glance

From the moment I saw the icon for GTMedia’s SeekDroid app, I suspected I had a winner on my hands -- and I haven’t been let down so far. The application itself is centered totally around helping find your lost or stolen device, so it won’t get you out of the woods if your handset is infected with malware.

Aug

[Mobile Security App Shootout] Android Lost (Beta): Sophisticated Security Options For The Budget-Conscious Android User

Posted by Liam Spradlin in App Reviews, Mobile Security App Shootout

For most, the idea of losing their mobile device is devastating. Users tend to panic at the idea of things like personal messages, contacts, photos, and internet passwords falling into the wrong hands. Luckily there is an abundance of security apps in the Android Market created specifically to combat such a scenario (and hopefully help in getting your device back). But this abundance poses another question: which one is right for me? It can be difficult to choose a security app that has the features you need, a reasonable price, and the interface and functionality that create a pleasant user experience even in the midst of such turmoil.

Aug

TekTrak Mobile Security Comes To Android, Offers Cross-Platform Protection With iOS For A Full Family Solution

Posted by Cameron Summerson in Applications, News

I know what you're probably thinking: "...another mobile security app? Please. There are dozens of these!" While this may be true, TekTrak has a few perks that makes it an interesting and compelling choice over the competition.

Firstly, it's also available on iOS, so it's a great cross-platform solution for the entire family. It's also one of the most affordable solutions that we've seen to date, costing only $5 per year. But what does that $5 per year get you? Sounds like a good time for a bullet list.

Remote location: Using GPS, TekTrak will find your lost or stolen phone.

Jul

[Deal Alert] Theft Aware On Sale 70% Off For A Limited Time, Single Licenses Available For €2.99, Unlimited For €4.49

Posted by John Thompson in Applications, Deals, News

There are a number of security applications available for Android, such as WaveSecure and Lookout, which lock down your phone if it is lost or stolen, but few come close to being as secure and robust as Theft Aware 2.0.

We took a look at the application at the end of last year, and were thoroughly impressed by its ability to take advantage of rooted devices, installing itself into the system partition of your phone so that it isn't affected by even a full system wipe. It's also completely invisible on rooted devices, not only in the app launcher, but also in the app manager, to protect itself from being uninstalled.

Jun

New App: Kaspersky Unveils Honeycomb-Compatible Tablet Security

Posted by David Ruddock in Android OS, Applications, Honeycomb 3.0/3.1/3.2, News, Tips

One of the geek community's favored anti-virus solutions on Windows, Kaspersky has recently made its move to secure the world of all things Android. Next up the company's sleeve is Kaspersky Tablet Security (clever name, right?), which brings Kaspersky's virus protection to Honeycomb (3.0 and 3.1, plus non-Honeycomb 2.1+) tablets. And it also runs on your phone, which allowed me (I am tablet-less) to take these screenshots:

Basically, it's Kaspersky Mobile Security 9 spruced up for tablets, with all the theft protection, call blocking, SMS, and other phone-specific features removed. It is kind of handy to have those superfluous features axed (except theft protection?) for the purpose of navigating the menus, but it seems like this app doesn't add much functionality over its phone counterpart, aside from a streamlined (and admittedly much better) home screen.

Jun

New App: ObscuraCam Automatically Detects, Blurs Faces And Strips Metadata From Your Photos

Posted by David Ruddock in Applications, Apps/Games, News, Tips

OK, this is probably one of the cooler apps I've seen in a while. ObscuraCam is an open source photo anonymizer project made in concert with the folks over at Witness.org - a human rights violation watchdog. Why is a human rights organization helping you blur those photos you took that night you accidentally [insert potential human rights violation here] but still thought would be hilarious to upload to Facebook?

Well, Witness wants this app to be used by political dissidents in countries where things like facial identification and metadata scraping are major barriers to posting photos of political protests online.

Jun

[New App] WhisperCore Prevents Smudge Attacks On Android Phones - With The Sacrifice Of Convenience, That Is

Posted by Cameron Summerson in Applications, News

We've all heard of the dreaded smudge attack: when a not-so-do-gooder gets a hold of your device and cracks your lockscreen combination using the evident fingerprints on the screen. Of course, this can easily be prevented by simply wiping the screen after you unlock it, but not everyone remembers to do that. Now, though, thanks to an app called WhisperCore, you are basically required to wipe the screen before you can access your phone.

For example, if you use a pin-code unlock, it's generally pretty easy to detect which numbers have been tapped by looking at the screen after the unlock code has been entered.

May

Lookout Team Pegs 25 Android Market Apps Infected With DroidDreamLight Malware

Posted by Cameron Summerson in News

Remember DroidDream - one of the worst malware apps that we've seen since Android's inception? Well, it appears that the developer of said malware is back at it again, with a reported 25 infected apps (so far) found in the Android Market. Dubbed DroidDreamLight by the Lookout Security team, this infection is a stripped down version of its predecessor. Make no mistake, though - that doesn't mean it's any less malicious.

This malware was actually found by a developer of one the infected apps, when he noticed that a modified version of his own apk was being distributed in the Android Market.