Mobile users treating their devices more and more like computers are increasingly finding themselves the focus of the bad guys, but now security vendor Kaspersky has launched software to help them fight back.
Kaspersky Mobile Security 8.0 claims to protect smartphone users from the efforts of cyber criminals. Confidential, on-device data is also protected in the event of the handset being lost of stolen.
The data contained on smartphones today is often as valuable as the information on many PCs according to Kaspersky, meaning they're just as attractive of a target as desktop or laptop machines.
According to research from the SANS Institute, some 30 per cent of mobile devices in circulation are lost each year and the increasing volume of programs attempting to attack handsets make for worrying reading.
"Kaspersky Mobile Security 8.0 combines our latest technologies designed to protect smartphones from Cybercrime attacks", said Andreas Lamm, managing director of Kaspersky Lab Europe, in a statement.
"This product provides reliable protection for smartphone users and their personal data stored on it."
Using the Kasperksy tool, users can pinpoint the location of their missing device using GPS. By sending a password-related SMS to the handset, they'll then be set exact co-ordinate details.
Alternatively, if the mobile has been stolen, the rightful owner can send a message with a codeword to ensure the device is blocked.
Mobile Security 8.0 supports mobiles running Symbian OS 9.x and Windows Mobile 5.0, 6.0, 6.1. It costs 19.99 and is available immediately.
