Lookout Mobile Security launches app for monitoring mobile malware

PanARMENIAN.Net - Lookout Mobile Security, the start-up behind wireless security software and a “Plan B” app for finding lost phones, has launched a new app for keeping an eye on malware hotspots around the globe, according to All Things Digital.

The Mobile Threat Tracker app consolidates the most recent two weeks’ worth of Lookout’s security data into a kind of mobile heat map. The user sees dots flying around the globe as a visualization of where threats are happening in real time.

When users scroll the globe, a timeline appears, showing how much of the threat is malware and how much is spyware; the top three threats are listed along with plain-English descriptions, and why Lookout has identified them as malicious.

Kevin Mahaffey, Lookout’s co-founder and CTO, said the app isn’t necessarily about offering immediate solutions, but more about making people aware of when they might be particularly vulnerable on mobile.

The Mobile Threat Tracker is only available on devices running an Android OS to start, and Mahaffey says it’s unclear whether there will be a version for iOS devices.

Lookout Mobile Security launched in 2007, and now claims more than 15 million users worldwide. The company says it takes an educational approach to informing people about products for malware and spyware, rather than using fear-mongering in its marketing; it offers most of its apps for free, with additional features available at a premium.