Webroot SecureAnywhere Offers Protection for Mobile Devices

The mobile endpoint-protection platform features secure Web browsing, SMS blocking and unlock, wipe and locate capabilities.

Security specialist Webroot announced the Nov. 13 launch of SecureAnywhere Business Mobile Protection, an endpoint security solution for Google Android and Apple iOS devices that uses a Web-based administration console to secure mobile devices and PCs within a corporate environment.

The platform, aimed at small and midsize businesses (SMBs), provides a view into an organization's desktop computers protected by Webroot SecureAnywhere Business Endpoint Protection within the same view.

Webroot provides anti-malware detection powered by the company's Intelligence Network, which scans all applications, files and Secure Digital (SD) cards in addition to providing multi-layered, real-time protection to alert users of potential threats and unsecured device settings. Lost-device protection capabilities also provide administrators with the ability to lock or unlock, wipe, locate and trigger a "scream" to help users find, recover or immobilize a lost device. The company is offering a 30-day free-trial promotion as well.

"We developed this product specifically with the SMB market in mind, to provide a security option for smaller organizations that might not need a full mobile-device-management solution," Mike Malloy, executive vice president of Webroot products and strategy said in a statement. "The goal was always to ensure that IT administrators could support a broad range of devices from the same console—making the addition incredibly easy for our current customers and the switch incredibly logical for our future ones."

Other features include secure Web browsing by automatically blocking malicious or phishing Websites a user tries to access from their mobile device and call and Short Message Service (SMS) blocking that blocks unwanted calls or SMS communications in addition to blocking SMS texts that contain malicious URLs. Rounding out the platform is an application inspector that scans apps and notifies the user of those that access sensitive data they shouldn't, track device location, send email or SMS texts, drain the battery or cost money.

The platform requires no servers or on-premise infrastructure and is infinitely scalable. Businesses also gain access to free software upgrades, and the lightweight client is designed to minimize battery, bandwidth and memory consumption. SecureAnywhere also provides a view of battery status and power usage by each application, monitors applications that are accessing the network and offers integrated Open Webroot technical support.

As more businesses with limited IT budgets turn to bring-your-own-device (BYOD) programs to boost employee productivity and mobility, endpoint security is becoming a rising concern. A September report from telecom and IT services provider Grudi Associates found that while there are several clear benefits to BYOD programs, including increased worker productivity—as workers who use their own devices tend to work more hours and more productively—security is a major downside risk to BYOD initiatives. About 1.3 million cellular phones are stolen each year and more than half of stolen laptops result in data breaches, the report stated.