Tag: mobile security

Mobile security offerings from Avast could be improved by latest acquisition

The antivirus software company has purchased a mobile app startup.

Avast has announced that it has acquired Inmite, a Czech-based mobile app developer, to help it become more mobile friendly and improve the mobile security it offers.

Inmite has developed several apps in the past for a variety of diverse companies.

The company has previous designed apps, particularly third party consumer apps for mobile television, mobile banking, a car purchasing app for škoda, and even apps for Google Glass. Previously it has also partner with Google and SAP.

According to Vince Steckler, Avast’s chief executive officer, Inmite’s 40 developers will essentially be revamping Avast’s user interface (UI). Steckler said that Inmite “primarily make consumer apps for third parties, so they have a heck of a lot of expertise in simplifying things.” The Avast team will grow to 80 as they hire on the additional 40 expert app developers.

Avast was founded in Prague in 1988 and has offices around the world in the U.S., China and Germany, but its main headquarters is located in the Czech Republic.

Avast is aiming to make its mobile security software more user friendly.

mobile security appA problem that many mobile security companies face is creating a practical app that is easy for consumer to use. Avast is hopeful that buying a company that is known for building innovative mobile apps could help it appeal to more mobile users. The challenge will be to build an application that is quite complex but that will be easy for consumers to understand how to use.

Steckler stated that “Cybercriminals are increasingly targeting smartphones and tablets – and consumers want our solutions to protect them from Wi-Fi attacks, phishing threats, or having their device lost or stolen.” He added that consumers want the freedom to know that when they use their device, it is safe in their hands. The company believes that Inmite will be able to meet the needs of its users around the world.

In addition, even though Avast does not really have any interest in integrating its software into third party devices or apps, it is interested in developing add ons. More specifically, it is interested in creating mobile security features that will improve the security of applications.

Mobile security issues from iPhone tracking causes China to feel exposed

The country feels that this behavior could lead “state secrets” to be revealed to spies.

The ever growing disagreement regarding mobile security and American spying activities in China has now risen to a new level as Apple has been roped into the battle, with the iPhone being branded as a national security threat by state television media.

This announcement has arrived only a small handful of months after an iPhone deal with China Mobile.

Recently, a U.S. technology group entered into a deal with China Mobile to supply that company with iPhones. China Mobile is currently the largest phone company on the globe and this accomplishment was considered to be a critical step forward in Apple’s efforts to break into the Chinese marketplace of one billion smartphone users in a more meaningful way. However, online and mobile security have become a growing source of tension between the country and the United States and now it looks as though the success of this deal may be threatened.

CCTV has added this mobile security statement to the growing pile of criticisms of brands from outside the country.

Mobile Security - Apple and ChinaThis announcement arrived in the same week that China and the United States brought high level trade talks to a conclusion and were able to take only the slightest progress in updating an agreement that was already a year and a half old regarding the $2 trillion in annual trade of high tech products.

The state broadcaster in China, CCTV, has been steadily boosting its aggression when it comes to the criticism that it has been laying down against brands from other countries. Its latest accusation was regarding the ability of the iPhone to track its user through its geolocation and positioning tech, as well as having the ability to “view the user’s home address, unit information and whereabouts.”

The report from the broadcaster suggested that some of the information released by Edward Snowden, the former contractor from the National Security Agency (NSA) had shown that some of the data that Apple collected through its smartphones was passed on to advertisers as well as American spy agencies. The broadcaster went on to say that this mobile security issue went even deeper because the data could still be recorded regardless of whether the feature was turned on, placing “state secrets” at risk along with this “sensitive” information.