Android devices better protected from malware and spam with free version of Sophos mobile security app

INDIA: Android is the world’s most popular smartphone operating system (OS), and according to comScore, it claims more than 50 percent of the market. With that kind of user base, it’s no wonder that Android is an increasingly popular target for malware and SMiShing (SMS phishing).

To help combat this growing threat, Sophos has introduced the latest version of its free Android security app, Sophos Mobile Security. Sophos Mobile Security now includes SPAM filter capabilities for text messages and calls.

The filter rules can block specific phone numbers and calls with a hidden caller ID, as well as text messages with potential malicious URLs. Every incoming call or text message is scanned by the app’s Spam Protection feature and the active filter rules are applied successively. Blocked calls and text messages are logged in the Quarantine folder, where they can be restored as needed.

Sending unsolicited commercial text messages is illegal under civil law and anyone who receives a spam text message should neither click on a link nor reply to a message. According to the Federal Trade Commission’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, about 60 percent of mobile phone users have received at least one or more spam text messages during the past year, with about 15 percent clicking on the link included in the message