Security and spyware

Google's open-source software leader has lashed out at companies selling antivirus software for mobile devices including Google's Android operating system, calling them "charlatans and scammers."

Chris DiBona, Google's open-source programs manager, unleashed his tirade after seeing a press report about "inherent" insecurity of open-source software, which is used not just in Android but also Apple's iOS. He argued that Android, iOS, and Research in Motion's BlackBerry OS don't need antivirus software.

"Virus companies are playing on your fears to try to sell you BS protection software for Android, RIM, … Read more

Security firm AVG is filling parents in on a little-known secret: their kids know as much about technology as they do.

According to AVG, the average 11-year-old child has "adult skills when it comes to technology." In other words, they can perform any task that an adult can when it comes to surfing the Web, getting a gadget to work, or solving complex computer issues.

"Technologically speaking, today's kids can walk the walk," AVG Chief Executive J.R. Smith said in a statement.

The issue is that their parents don't necessarily realize that. In … Read more

Known for offering free anonymising protection to Windows and Mac users, the Wi-Fi protection program Hotspot Shield (download) launched today for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch. It's the first mobile move for parent company AnchorFree.

Calling itself the world's most popular Virtual Private Network (VPN), with 9 million to 10 million unique monthly users, the iOS version of Hotspot Shield offers the same encrypted IP address anonymising and bandwidth compression that the program's Windows and Mac users get.

This means that all Web browsing would be conducted over the safer HTTPS. By rerouting Web traffic and … Read more

A significantly improved installation procedure and a new look are the notable improvements to ZoneAlarm Free Firewall 2012 (download).

ZoneAlarm borrows its new look from the full ZoneAlarm security suite, replacing the old horizontal buttons with three large icons and boxes. One takes you to settings for your computer's security, the middle focuses on Internet traffic, and the third addresses your identity and data.

ZoneAlarm Free has for some time offered 2GB of online storage and credit monitoring gratis.

The new ZoneAlarm installer also takes a page from its suite siblings, so that you only have to download a … Read more

For a high-end suite, McAfee Total Protection 2012 (download) isn't a bad program. It's just not a particularly good program, and it misses being great by several miles.

We liked its interface, a continuation with only minor adjustments from its 2010 overhaul. The feature set is generally competitive, too, although this update really only brings it into line with the middle range of competitors. It doesn't really push the envelope as to what a high-end suite can do for its customers.

Its biggest problems lie in its performance, and for a security suite that can be the … Read more

While some app makers are taking a unified approach to Android, Norton has decided to split its security apps into a phone version and a tablet version.

Norton Tablet Security debuted today as Symantec also released a minor update to Norton Mobile Security, its smartphone version.

Norton Tablet Security is an updated version of Symantec's Android app, Norton Mobile Security. The Tablet Security version comes with an interface optimized for Android tablets. This means that instead of presenting its features in a narrow column, its interface is in a widescreen format.

Like its smartphone counterpart, Tablet Security offers anti-malware … Read more

Another day, another Trojan. The malware bot called "Tsunami" that has been developed for Linux systems since around 2002 has been found on OS X.

The malware (OSX/Tsunami.A) is a minimal threat, and like other Trojans and backdoors for OS X requires you to manually install it. While it is almost irrelevant to most users, it is out there and has the potential to cause harm for some.

The malware is an IRC bot, which is a program that connects to Internet Relay Chat (IRC) network servers and channels, where it can be controlled as a … Read more

One of the odd quirks about the Lookout Mobile Security app for Android (download) has been that it required a cell phone number to install. Those days are over, as Lookout released today an Android version of its app that will work on phones and tablets running Android 1.5 or later. The security app also will work on Apple devices running iOS 4.0 and up.

It was very difficult, if not impossible, to run earlier versions of Lookout on a tablet because the app's activation process and other device recognition protocol were done via text message. The … Read more

The Finnish security firm F-Secure gains a large percentage of its business from corporate accounts and platform operators, but that doesn't mean that it treats its consumer security suites as a ginger-haired child of indeterminate parentage and poor temperament. The new versions of F-Secure Internet Security 2012 (download) and F-Secure Anti-Virus 2012 (download) focus on keeping its security ahead of the curve, along with some ease-of-use improvements. However, as other suites emphasize their engine improvements along with an ever-expanding feature set, F-Secure remains steadfastly lean.

The only major visual change to the suite is the debut of the Launch … Read more