Trend Micro highlights maturity in mobile security

Security software maker Trend Micro maintains that enterprises are already shopping for integrated packages of anti-malware and encryption tools for use in smartphones and other mobile devices.

In releasing the fifth version of its Mobile Security suite, the vendor contends that it has created a similar level of functionality and performance in its handheld package that it has been working to build into its desktop security applications over a decade of development.

While smartphones themselves and enterprise installations of the devices remain somewhat nascent, enterprise IT departments are already looking for a level of parity between mobile device security technologies and much older desktop and laptop protection tools, company officials contend.

As enterprise smart phones users have driven adoption of data-centric mobile applications, including wireless e-mail and customer CRM systems, companies have begun to view the need to lock down handheld devices much the same as they see requirements to protect their other computers.

"By some estimates there may be as many as seven million smartphones that are lost or stolen in the next year, so companies are looking for protection that rivals what they already do for the desktop or, more specifically, the laptop," said Todd Thiemann, director for device security marketing at Trend Micro. "The types of malware attacks we're seeing on mobile devices are relatively measured thus far, but the demand to offer more advanced encryption, authentication, and security management technologies for enterprise customers is already there."

Echoing some of the same market observations made by rivals, including Symantec, McAfee, and F-Secure, Thieman said that Trend has found that many of its large multinational customers are already knee-deep into their worldwide smartphone installations.

With a growing number of regulatory mandates forcing businesses to better track and secure the information flowing across all of their devices, along with an increasing range of laws aimed at pushing companies to improve protection of sensitive data, enterprises are already asking for mobile security suites that blend encryption, authentication, intrusion detection, and anti-malware tools into a centrally-managed package, Thiemann said.

As such, Trend is now offering all of those tools and has fleshed-out integration between the various applications in an effort to establish its Mobile Security 5.0 offering as one of the most comprehensive and mature sets of mobile device security applications on the market.

Even if companies aren't ready to turn all the mobile security tools right away, companies are looking for platforms that they can install now and roll out over time, according to the company.