Between the Lines

Larry Dignan, Andrew Nusca and Rachel King

McAfee upgrades mobile security software with SMS, call blocking

By | January 31, 2012, 8:00am PST

Summary: IT departments are wary of personal devices being used for work purposes out of fear of information getting lost or stolen, but could mobile security software ease their worries?

Considering that one of the leading arguments against bringing personal devices has to do with security as well as lost and stolen gadgets, it would be prudent to consider installing some extra precautions.

One example comes from McAfee, which just released version 2.0 of its Mobile Security software for smartphones and tablets. The app originally debuted in June.

McAfee touts its mobile security app as the first to “combine anti-virus, anti-theft, web and app protection, call/SMS filtering and protection from potentially unwanted programs.”

Here’s a look at some of the upgrades in the new version:

  • McAfee App Alert: Provides important information about what apps are doing with users’ personal information
  • McAfee Global Threat Intelligence network: Constantly analyzes global threat data to identify and quickly block new threats with over-the-air app updates
  • Call and SMS filtering: Blocks unwanted numbers and spam texts

McAfee Mobile Security 2.0 costs $29.99 for new subscribers, but existing McAfee Mobile Security subscribers can download the updated software for free. A free trial is also available. McAfee Mobile Security 2.0 is supported by Android smartphones and tablets as well as BlackBerry and Symbian smartphones.

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Rachel King is a staff writer for ZDNet based in San Francisco.

Disclosure

Rachel King

Rachel King has no business relationships, affiliations, investments, or other potential conflicts of interest relating to the content posted in this blog.

Biography

Rachel King

Rachel King is a staff writer for CBS Interactive in San Francisco. Before serving as a contributing editor at ZDNet in New York City for two years, she previously worked for The Business Insider, FastCompany.com, CNN's San Francisco bureau and the U.S. Department of State. Rachel has also written for MainStreet.com, Irish America Magazine and the New York Daily News, among others. Rachel has a B.A. in Mass Communications and History from the University of California, Berkeley and a M.S. in Journalism from Columbia University, where she served as art director for the student magazine, Plated.

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I have tried this call blocking , it blocks the call only 1st time and then if same number calls again the phone rings . Some time it just does not work. please test the sw before releasing it.

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