AT&T readies security service to counter the mobile virus threat

With Android malware up 400 percent, there should be no doubt that the mobile space is quickly becoming the most enticing target for malignant software.

Fortunately, AT&T has taken notice. Reuters reports that the company is planning its own security service to protect its customers against mobile viruses.

The announcement could not come at a better time. In March, Google removed more than fifty Android applications that had been taken over by malware and distributed on the Android Market. Attackers had used the applications to obtain a variety of information, possibly including the personal details stored on phones. While Google was able to remove the applications from both the Android Market and affected phones, the incident served as a clear reminder that not even Google's anti-malware measures were foolproof.

Other hacked applications have been reported to take over the texting messaging capabilities of phones, and in the process racking up massive data charges.

AT&T enterprise head John Stankey said that the company would likely launch their service in 2012. Though he did not announce whether it would be a paid service, Stankey did note that a security service would become an easier sell as customers become more aware of the virus issues facing mobile platforms.

[Via Reuters]