Mobile Security - Smartphones, Netbooks, Laptops & PDAs

Everyone should have security software for their netbook, laptop, personal digital assistant (PDA) or Smartphone. We hope that you never, ever lose your mobile devices, but if you do, you should make sure that no one can steal your identity, use your credit cards, or open your files. Types of protection include using passwords, data encryption, spam filter, antivirus and a firewall. Laptops can use the same security software as desktop computers; exceptions include laptop theft services and wireless hot spot protection (see bottom of this page). PDAs and Smartphones need their own special products.

| Laptop UTM | Laptop Anti-Theft |

Mobile Security Background Reading

Lookout hits a million users for its smartphone security app, Dean Takahashi, VentureBeat, June 30, 2010
How to Set Up a Secure Web Tunnel, Steven Andrés, PC World, June 3, 2010
Experts tell how to keep smart phones secure, Wailin Wong, Tribune, CLTV, June 1, 2010
Seven antivirus solutions for Windows Mobile and Symbian, Shawn Morton, TechRepublic, May 27th, 2010
Norton security software expands to phones, Taylor Thomas, msnbc, May 27, 2010
Best free antivirus for netbook, eeejournal, May 24, 2010 -- Avast, Avira and Panda
Using your smartphone safely (FAQ), Elinor Mills, CNet, January 5, 2010
Mobile Security Software 2010 -- 11 products, TopTenReviews

iPhone/iPod Touch Security Articles

Pure Mac iPhone Security Software Recommendations -- Lockdown, Password, PasswordWallet, Simple Vault, SplashID.
iPhone Security Apps Buying Guide, Jeff Goldman, eSecurityPlanet, July 2, 2010

Android Security Articles

Back up your Android home screens: Here's how, JR Raphhael, Computerworld, June 4, 2010
Secure Your Android Phone, Robert Strohmeyer, PC World, May 6, 2010
Security Apps for Android, Simon Hill, brighthub, February 15, 2010 -- SMobile Security Shield for Android, Hide My Life, Mobile Defense, Secure SMS, aFirewall.
Google Android apps for your private security, androgeek, January 22, 2010

Multi-Function PDA & Smartphone Security Software

Kaspersky Mobile Security -- anti-theft, privacy protection, anti-malware, data encryption, parental controls.
SMobile Security Shield -- AntiVirus, AntiSpam, Firewall, Backup & Restore, Lock, Wipe, GPS Locate, Monitor and Control; optional parental controls and monitoring.
Norton Smartphone Security -- anti-spy, anti-spam, antivirus, anti-theft.
F-Secure Mobile Security -- antitheft, browing protection, antispyware, antivirus, firewall, auto update.
Trend Micro Mobile Security -- Anti-virus, Anti-phishing, Parental Controls, Remote data wipe, SMS anti-spam, SIM card password protection.
Airscanner Mobile Products -- AntiVirus, Firewall, Encrypter, Power Tools, Sniffer, Smartphone AntiVirus, Mobile Security Bundle, Supreme Security Bundle
Blue Nomad -- Backupbuddy, RemoveIt & SwordFish, Nomad Security Suite
Lookout -- Free antivirus, firewall, data backup, missing device and management for Android, BlackBerry and Windows Mobile.

AntiVirus PDA & Smartphone Software (alpha order)

Ahnlab Mobile Security -- Antivirus
avast! PDA Edition -- Antivirus for Palm OS, Windows CE (incl. SmartPhone Edition), and Windows Mobile 5 (PocketPC).
Avira AntiVir Mobile -- virus and malware defense for Pocket PCs and smartphones.
BitDefender Mobile Security -- Antivirus
BullGuard Mobile Antivirus
Dr.Web anti-virus for Windows Mobile and for Symbian OS
ESET Mobile Antivirus
McAfee VirusScan Mobile
SimWorks Anti-Virus

Password/Form-Fill Software for Desktop/Laptop/SmartPhone

Roboform Pro runs on desktop/laptop running Windows, Mac, Linux with
browsers IE8, Firefox, or Google Chrome plus mobile versions (mostly
free) running on iPhone/iPod Touch, Android, Windows Mobile, Palm,
Symbian, BlackBerry.
Lastpass works on desktop/laptop running Windows, Mac or Linux plus
mobile running iPhone, Blackberry, Android, Windows Phone, Symbian S60,
Palm webOS, iPad.

Encryption, Firewall + Other PDA & Smartphone Security Software (alpha order)

Aiko Secubox and SecuWipe for Pocket PC, Smartphone, and Windows CE
Applian Pocket Lock -- File Encryption
DeveloperOne CodeWallet Pro 6 with Pocket PC, Smartphone and desktop editions
Handango -- 100's of security products from many vendors sorted by operating system & device
Ilium Software eWallet 5.0, Pocket PC, Palm and Smartphone editions
PointSec Mobile Security -- encryption
ProtectStar Firewall 1.0
TealPoint -- TealLock, TealSafe, TealBackup.

Wireless Hot Spot Security for Laptops

AirDefense Personal Lite free
- Wi-Fi security for road warriors: AirDefense style, Michael Kassner, Tech Republic, May 22, 2008
AnchorFree Hot Spot Shield free, also have an iPhone version
GoTrusted individual $6 per month, also have an iPhone version
- Go Trusted Secure Tunnel 2, Neil Rubenking, PC Magazine, December 8, 2009
HotSpot VPN starts at $9 per month
WiFi Guardian $50 per year
WiTopia personal VPN $40 per year
How-To
- Wi-Fi Planet Guide to Hotspot Safety, Michail Horowitz, Wi-Fi Planet, October 8, 2009

Hardware Protection for Laptops

Yoggie Pico Personal™ protects one laptop, flash drive, includes Stateful Inspection Firewall, Anti-Spam, Anti-Phishing, Anti-spyware, Anti-virus, URL Categorization & Filtering, VPN Client, Intrusion Detection System / Intrusion Prevention System, Transparent Email Proxies (POP3; SMTP), Transparent Web Proxies (HTTP; FTP), Adaptive Security Policy™, Multi-Layer Security Agent™, Layer-8 Security Engine ™.

The 24th Annual Technical Excellence Awards, Jeremy Kaplan, PC Magazine, November 14, 2007 -- Security: Yoggie Pic
Tiny package, big security - Yoggie Gatekeeper Pro Review, Bill Meade, SmallNetBuilder, August 13, 2007
Yoggie Pico Personal, Neil Rubenking, PC Magazine, July 16, 2007
See more reviews on our Broadband Gateway page.

Anti-Theft Services for Laptops

Adeona is a free Open Source system for tracking the location of a lost or stolen laptop while preserving your privacy. It works with Linux, Mac OS and Windows XP/Vista.
Computrace Lo/Jack
PcPhoneHome, Brigadoon Security Group
XTool's Laptop Tracker
zTrace Technologies' zTrace Gold