CES 2014 News: Android Privacy Issue Solved

LAS VEGAS and NASHUA, N.H., Jan. 7, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- As more than 152,000 attendees gather this week for CES 2014, there's good news for consumers concerned about ensuring personal privacy as they use smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140107/NE40918LOGO )

SnoopWall (http://www.snoopwall.com) the world's first counterveillance security software company, today announced its SnoopWall for Android App is now available as a free download from the Google Play Store at http://bit.ly/SnoopWallGooglePlay.

SnoopWall is first-of-its kind, counterveillance anti-spyware software to protect consumers, families and businesses from cyber-security threats and privacy invasions of their personal computers and mobile devices.  SnoopWall uniquely blocks eavesdropping in real-time, protects your webcam, microphone, GPS, Bluetooth, NFC, Wi-Fi and other high risk data ports, automatically.  Uniquely, there are no updates necessary for SnoopWall to stop new Zero-Day Malware and Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs).

A well-publicized December 12, 2013 article from the Electronic Frontier Foundation¹ described a "massive privacy problem," ¹ caused by Google's removal of its App Opps feature that gave Android users fine-grained control over App permissions. In this article, the EFF's Peter Eckersley described the disappearance of App Ops as "alarming news for Android users," suggesting that Google's move forces users "to choose between either privacy or security on the Android devices, but not both."

SnoopWall addresses the Google privacy problem through easy to use Apps Permissions controls that let users manage which permissions to give or deny to each Application on their Google Android device. This privacy and security feature lets users disable the ability of individual Apps to access sensitive, personally identifiable information such as geographic location and address book data.

Previewed at the world-renowned DEMO conference in October, SnoopWall for Android is the company's first product. Additional products providing privacy for computers, phones and other mobile devices running on the Apple iOS and Microsoft Windows platforms are in development.

SnoopWall for Android Features and Benefits:

• Quick and easy to install – deploys on device in 30 seconds or less
• Compatible with Google Android platforms, phones, devices and tablets
• Finds out what every Application is doing, which are spying on you, and helps maintain personal privacy through easy Apps Permissions controls.
• Alerts users of existing harmful and potentially harmful programs and Apps
• Protection against spying, snooping and stealing for Android devices
• Blocks cyber intrusion with revolutionary spyware blocking technology
• Protects all high-risk data ports (webcam, microphone, GPS, wireless, Bluetooth, etc.) from the latest, most dangerous malware
• Understand risks with real-time privacy meter
• Free up memory and extends battery life

"We're thrilled to launch SnoopWall for Android – proudly made in the USA," said Gary S. Miliefsky, President of SnoopWall and a founding member of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. "From recent news of the FTC crackdown on one of the most popular flashlight Android Apps to widespread public dissatisfaction with Google's App privacy limitations; and from advertisers spying on consumers to the cyber snoop who illicitly gained remote access to Miss Teen USA's webcam and attempted to cyber-extort her -- it's time we took control of these devices to reclaim our privacy!"

Threats to Mobile Security
A research paper on "Cyber Security and Mobile Threats" clearly defines the need: "Smartphones are becoming a vehicle to provide an efficient and convenient way to access, find and share information; however… this…has caused an increase in cyber attacks … Presently, 96% of smartphones do not have pre-installed security software. This lack in security is an opportunity for malicious cyber attackers to hack into the various devices that are popular (i.e. Android, iPhone and Blackberry)."²

Android Privacy in Peril
Android users are particularly vulnerable to privacy threats, as recent research reveals:

• Of the top 100 Android apps, 56 accessed device ID, contact lists and/or location data." ³
• 60 percent of infected mobile devices are Android smartphones, with the number of Android malware samples increasing by 72 percent in Q3 over Q2 2013. ⁴

SnoopWall: Reclaim Your Privacy
While "end-point" security products such as anti-virus and firewall software provide a degree of protection, cyber crooks and snoops can easily access smartphones & mobile devices through open data ports and nasty new malware/spyware hidden in "trusted" Apps.

SnoopWall's revolutionary anti-spyware software flags and prevents cyber security threats and also functions as a "port authority": detecting and blocking remote control, spying and eavesdropping through attempted intrusions into cameras, webcams, microphones, GPS, USB, other ports of entry on computers, smartphones, tablets, and other mobile devices.

SnoopWall's patent-pending "counterveillance" technology provides Data Leakage Prevention (DLP), threat prevention & privacy assurance, Apps Permissions management, and policy-based granular controls (via API/SDK) through offerings that will appeal to consumers, enterprises and governments, and those that serve them.

About SnoopWall
SnoopWall is the world's first counterveillance software company focused on helping consumers and enterprises protect their privacy on all of their computing devices including smartphones, tablets, and laptops. SnoopWall augments endpoint security (antivirus, firewall, intrusion prevention) through patent-pending technology that detects and blocks all remote control, eavesdropping and spying and, while preventing data leakage and increasing device battery life/performance. SnoopWall's software is proudly made in the U.S.A. Visit snoopwall.com and follow us on Twitter: @SnoopWallSecure.

All product and company names herein may be trademarks of their registered owners.

MEDIA CONTACT:  Patrick Rafter for SnoopWall [email protected] or 617-901-2697

Sources:

1. "Google Removes Vital Privacy Feature From Android"  (Peter Eckersley, EFF), 2013
2. "Cyber Security and Mobile Threats: The need for Antivirus Applications for Smart Phones" (Wright, Dawson & Omar) 2012
3. "Did Your Smartphone Flashlight Rat You Out? Crowdsourcing Privacy Concerns of Mobile Apps" (Jason I. Hong, Associate Professor, Carnegie Mellon University) 2013
4. Kindsight Security Labs Q3-2013 Malware Report, 2013

SOURCE SnoopWall

WANT YOUR COMPANY'S NEWS FEATURED ON PRNEWSWIRE.COM?

440k+
Newsrooms &
Influencers

9k+
Digital Media
Outlets

270k+
Journalists
Opted In

GET STARTED