Kaspersky Mobile Security 9 for Android and Blackberry: antivirus for the smartphone

The smartphone needs antivirus as well, at least that’s what Kaspersky is claiming and charging $30 per year for the use of the application that purports to be an all inclusive security solution for the mobile OS.

The rise of the smartphones also has disadvantages: in recent years, smartphones, their applications, browsers and processors become no less powerful than our PC’s, and are used for tasks and assignments. If there’s one thing PC’s are characterized with (especially those running Windows) its security breaches. Viruses, malware and Trojan horses are terms that still bring fear into users hearts and force them to use an effective antivirus, like Kaspersky – a veteran in the arena of PC antivirus.

Kaspersky Mobile Security is the company’s product that purports to provide a collection of tools to maintain privacy and security on our smartphone. This is not just an antivirus but an entire package that contains firewall, tools to fight theft of loss of the device, call filter and more. Version 9 that was issued in the beginning of the year with support to Windows Mobile and Symbian received a significant update that added support to Android (versions 1.6 to 2.2) and Blackberry (versions 4.5 to 6.0) but not the new Windows Phone 7 by Microsoft.

Unlike other solutions for the Blackberry and Android that exist on the market, Kaspersky doesn’t have a free version for the application and the application is offered at a license limited to one device at a relatively higher price than common in the smartphones market. In order to gain access to the application in any of the four supported OS you’ll have to part with $29.95 per year. A trial period of one week is available after which you’ll have to decide whether you want to continue.

The application’s installation is a little complicated because it is not done through the Android Market or Blackberry application store but by entering Kaspersky’s website and downloading an outside file. On the Android you’ll have to enable the download of an application from an unknown origin and then follow the instructions. On the Blackberry you’ll have to authorize a series of authorizations for the application during the installation.

Top 10 Signs Your Computer Is Infected

AVG has produced the following guide of the 10 most common symptoms of computer infection:

1. When computer is running unusually slowly.
If a PC has been infected by a virus, worm, Trojan or some other form of malware, it could be running tasks that consume a lot of resources, making the system run more slowly than usual.

2. When computer keeps popping up messages. If pop-ups and messages appear on the desktop, either advertising things or saying that the PC is infected, the computer probably has a malware infection. Spyware or adware is also commonly used as well as fake anti-virus programs (also called "rogueware") to deceive the user into parting
with financial details.

3. When connect to the Internet, windows open or my browser displays web pages I have not requested. Many threats are designed to redirect traffic to certain web sites against the user's will, and can even cause browsers to display spoof web pages. Normally this happens when looking for something in a search engine or when
typing a URL into an address bar. The user presumes they have opened a legitimate website when really they have been taken to a malicious imitation. The free AVG LinkScanner on Windows or Mac computers will help protect from these web pages.

4. When you cannot connect to the Internet or it runs very slowly. Loss of Internet communication is another common symptom of malware infection. This problem could also be due to the Internet service provider (ISP) or modem router. If a computer has been infected, the malware could be connecting to a URL or opening separate connection sessions, thereby reducing available bandwidth.

5. When anti-virus has disappeared, firewall is disabled. Another typical characteristic of malware threats is that they disable the security software already installed on computers. If one security protection layer shuts down it might be a specific software failure. However, if all security components are disabled, the computer is infected.

6. Applications won't start or the computer keeps crashing. This is when infection causes applications from the start menu or desktop to stop working and other programs to run. This could either be caused by an update or poor installation process or if the computer unexpectedly or erratically crashes persistently then it may be due to malware. This especially happens when trying to open up a security program, or trying to fix malware problems.

7. When computer has new programs. If there are new programs on the computer's desktop that have been downloaded and installed without consent or knowledge, it's likely the computer is infected. Usually these programs have explicit or illegal content and it's near impossible to delete them like a normal program.

8. Where have files gone? There are malware threats designed to delete or encrypt information. Others move documents from one place to another. Some remove the library files for running games, security software and other programs. If a computer is in this situation, it's highly likely to be infected.

9. When computer is speaking a strange language. Certain infections cause the language of certain applications to change or the screen to appear back-to-front.

10. When computer has a mind of its own. If the computer starts acting on its own or sends emails without your knowledge, it is infected. Other signs include Internet sessions or applications opening sporadically.

Malware ads hit London Stock Exchange Web site

Visitors to the London Stock Exchange's Web site were hit with malicious ads over the weekend, designed to pop up fake security messages on their computers.

The culprit was an online advertisement that was somehow placed on the Unanimis ad network, which is used by the the Web site, a London Stock Exchange spokeswoman said Monday. "We had an advert on the site that linked through to a third-party website that was hosting this malware," she said. She did not know how many people had been served the malicious ad.

The Stock Exchange's Web site itself was not compromised, and the ad was removed as soon as it was discovered on Sunday, she said.

Nevertheless, visitors to the site early Monday were greeted with browser warnings saying that londonstockexchange.com had been reported as an attack page. The warnings showed up in the Firefox, Chrome and Safari browsers, but were removed later in the day.

"The malware was a classic spoof antivirus program which used a software vulnerability to download and install native executable code," said Paul Mutton, a researcher with Web analytics firm Netcraft, who reported the issue on his personal blog.

The malware pops up a message on the victim's computer that reads "Warning! You're in danger! Your computer is infected with spyware." This is a common type of malicious program, called "rogue antivirus," which is designed to trick the user into paying for useless antivirus software. Typically the victim ends up handing money over to the scammers, but the malicious software doesn't really go away.

In an online chat, Mutton said he did not know what bug the hackers used to install their malware. He also said he couldn't discuss the incident further.

In a brief statement, Unanimis said it had found malware "which affected some advertisements on our network." Unanimis is owned by European telecommunications giant Orange France Telecom Group.

Security experts say that criminals have become adept at sneaking onto online ad networks in recent years. In December, Google's ad network was hit with a similar type of malware. That attack lasted for about five days, according to security vendor Armorize.