Microsoft’s antimalware, Defender, is now coming to mobile iOS and Android devices. Formerly known as Windows Defender on personal computers, Microsoft Defender will provide advanced threat protection for mobile devices when it launches before the end of the year.
While the traditional Windows Defender on computers is an antivirus that takes care of malware, it is not clear what the full range of Microsoft Defender on mobile devices will be. However, Microsoft will provide a public preview of what the application will do at the RSA Security conference next week. The company will also reveal the Microsoft Defender Advanced Threat Protection for Linux at the event.
Rob Lefferts, a Microsoft corporate vice president, said the iOS and Android platforms are pretty safe, but still “malware does happen on those platforms” given certain conditions. Company executives hinted that the forthcoming Microsoft Defender for mobile devices may not necessarily function as an antivirus or antimalware, but it will prevent users from reaching websites that Microsoft has tagged as unsafe.
The defender will also prevent company employees from mistakenly disclosing usernames, passwords, and other sensitive information or account details while working online. To this extent, it is unclear for now how Defender will respond if it comes across adware or malware on a mobile device or smartphone.
Lefferts, however, stated that the application will only be for smartphones that are managed by enterprises or corporate clients.
“We know our customers’ environments are complex and heterogenous,” Microsoft said. “Providing comprehensive protection across multiple platforms through a single solution and streamlined view is more important than ever.”
In many cases, Google often assures Android smartphone users that they can deal with malware by constantly updating its mobile software to the latest versions. But the new defender will undoubtedly provide an added layer of protection and guarantee that a device is safe from malicious attacks and that a user can be prevented from reaching malicious sites.
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