Trend Micro extends mobile security to Android, Symbian and Windows Phone

Trend Micro is updating its mobile security suite with the launch of Mobile Security 7 for enterprise, designed to offer remote management and protection facilities to IT managers.

The software allows IT managers to control mobile security on smartphones and other mobile endpoint devices via a small software agent.

This filters out malware, provides remote management features including wiping lost or stolen handsets, and uses existing handset encryption to protect data on the device via cloud services.

"Data protection is probably the most important feature set," Cesare Garlati, senior director for consumerisation at Trend Micro, told V3.co.uk.

"The phone is almost disposable. The value of the device is just a few hundred dollars. What's key is the data it contains."

IT managers are increasingly having to manage a variety of handsets, as employees bring their own hardware to work.

Mobile Security 7 will initially support Android, Symbian and Windows Phone 7, but version 7.1 will include iOS and BlackBerry support by the end of the year.

Key to the software is its small footprint and processor load. Security software on mobile devices is sometimes switched off to save battery life, Garlati explained, so the security controls need to be lightweight.

"We're the lightest-weight in the industry for Android. It all happens in the cloud - that's the secret sauce of Trend," he said.

The software can be purchased as a standalone product, or as an add-on to Trend's existing OfficeScan 10.5 or full Enterprise Suite. Prices start at $23.70 per user with a minimum of 251 users.