TechRepublic - IT Security: How effective is antivirus software on smartphones?

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Patrick Lambert looks at the limited usefulness of smartphone antivirus apps. Should you bother with it?

By Patrick Lambert
March 30, 2012

In our world of corporate security where the threats are constant, most IT pros and administrators would not consider giving a computer to an employee without locking it down. Login systems, antivirus, network protection, and more provide a security-in-depth approach that is the norm for corporate life. Antivirus companies provide extensive suites to secure computers, networks, servers and more, with a central point of control. But what about smartphones? As iPhone and Android devices have become more and more popular, employees no longer consider their company-issued or BYOD phones to be just a communication device. Now, they use that phone to read email attachments, download documents, and even VPN inside the corporate firewall. So it’s no wonder that we often hear of the potential for security problems. Is it time to install antivirus software on smartphones?

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