latest
2FA apps like Google Authenticator reportedly vulnerable to malware snooping
The trojan primarily targets banking apps
Using app-generated one-time passcodes (OTPs) is perhaps the easiest and most cost-effective way to add a second authentication layer to all your online accounts and services. They eliminate almost any chances of an unauthorized person accessing your accounts even if they’ve got hold of your passwords. But it would be a scary situation if the passcodes within those apps were compromised, and that's just the threat Google Authenticator is facing right now thanks to some banking malware.
Four years after Cerberus made headlines when it invalidated free lifetime licenses, the device security app is back in the spotlight for the same questionable business practices. This time, it has begun to revoke paid lifetime licenses, partly without informing customers beforehand.
While Google provides its own tracking and anti-theft service through Android Device Manager, some users prefer third-party tools. One of these is Cerberus, a powerful and customizable anti-theft app that has been around for years. While in operation, it can completely hide any evidence that the phone is being tracked (even faking a shut-down), thus giving owners more time to get their stolen devices back.
Cerberus has been one of the most popular device security apps over the years, and the developers are now looking to protect more than your phone. Persona is a "personal safety" app that can instantly share your location in the event of an emergency. This service is included with Cerberus, so subscribers are already set as soon as the app goes live.
Every Android phone has a built-in capability to send out its location in the event it's lost or stolen, and the same goes for iPhones. This has led some phone thieves to immediately turn off phones as soon as they get their hands on them. A new update to the security app Cerberus aims to fool the thief with a "fake shutdown" message.
Cerberus is the go-to third party solution for theft deterrence and recovery on Android. With such a security-focused app, it's surprising that it didn't feature support for Android's native fingerprint sensor API before now. That's changed with version 3.4 of the app, now available in the Play Store. Users on Android 6.0 or later (with compatible hardware, of course) can use a fingerprint scan to authenticate the app.
Some of you may think of Cerberus as a three-headed dog that guards the gates of Hell. Others may think of a service that can track down your phone and lock it as necessary. One of the two has decided to embrace material design.
Read update
Cerberus is one of the more full-featured device security apps available on Android. It has more features than Android Device Manager, and more importantly it existed years before Google's solution. The developer has occasionally offered free lifetime licenses for the app, but now users are seeing that their "lifetime" licenses are set to expire in a few days. What gives?
Cerberus is a popular app that extends Android's tracking and anti-theft abilities with a host of new tools. Developer LSDroid tends to release updates often, and the latest one fixes an important bug and adds a few more features. Notably, Cerberus can now disable your phone's ability to lower the status bar on the lockscreen, where the Quick Settings menu displays by default in Android 5.0 and 5.1. That will keep thieves from easily disconnecting from Wi-Fi or data networks.
Cerberus is a solid little app that makes it easy (or at least easier) to find/lock your phone or tablet if it's lost or stolen. The app has accumulated over a million downloads on the Play Store, so clearly it has earned some loyal users. The update to version 3.1 adds a couple of crucial features: full support for both Android Wear and Android 5.0. If you have either one, you'll appreciate the added functionality.
There are updates, and then there are updates. For Cerberus, version 3.0 is the latter. It gets the app ready for Android 5.0 by covering it with pretty materials. Well, as pretty as this particularly unflattering app is going to get.
The Android Device Manager might get the basics taken care of, but Cerberus goes a few steps farther. It's a powerful security suite with features like SIM locking, device alarms, remote lock, remote wipe, remote picture taking, and location tracking. It would usually cost you €2.99 (about $4) for a lifetime license, but it's free for the next day in celebration of the app's third birthday.
Cerberus Anti-Theft is the type of app that users install for peace of mind. The service offers the ability to track a device's location, record audio through its microphone, lock it, or wipe it remotely in the chance that it falls into the wrong hands. Unfortunately, this line of defense could be a person's worse nightmare if their account were compromised. That's why it was no small deal when Cerberus recently sent out this email to some of its users, alerting them that a number of usernames and passwords were stolen in a recent data breach.
When it comes right down to it, few things are much scarier than finding out somebody can track your movements, read your call log and text messages, and even record audio and take pictures of whatever the phone can get, all without your knowledge. Here's the thing - as careful, security-conscious people, many of us already install software like that for our own purposes, usually to recover a phone in the event it should fall into the hands of thieves. Like a weapon intended for protection, sometimes our best defenses can be turned against us.
[Deal Alert] Get A Free Lifetime License For Android Security App Cerberus Today Only [Updated]
Cerberus is one of the most highly regarded Android security apps in Google Play, and now it can be yours forever at zero cost. All you have to do is download
Cerberus is one of the most highly regarded Android security apps in Google Play, and now it can be yours forever at zero cost. All you have to do is download Cerberus from Google Play (if you haven't already) and confirm that free things are of interest to you.
A few months ago, Liam spent some time with 17 mobile security apps, one of which was an app called Cerberus. He came away quite impressed - so impressed, in fact, that he crowned it the winner (and, as a license is just $4, it was also crowned the best for the budget-minded).
Read update
- While Android Police is keeping this post up for historical purposes, a lot has changed since we first covered this app, and readers should take some time to consider the current state of Cerberus before making any usage decisions.
Developer LSDroid has raised the bar in our Security App Shootout series with the popular security app Cerberus. Another app looking to help those who dread the thought of their lost or stolen device out there all alone, Cerberus brings a lot to the table while maintaining a relatively low price point.