I have been evaluating the ESET Security Software for Android for about a month now. I have nothing negative to report and nothing spectacular to report either. Regardless, below is part of an e-mail and blog alert from them I felt needed to be passed along.

“You may have seen the news in the past few days about the Android/Simplocker ransomware threat and may be worried about the impact it will have on you and your Android device. There’s no need to panic, just follow these 5 simple steps to be safe and secure:

1. Install ALL apps from Google Play or other well-known app stores

Third-party stores, particularly those offering big-name apps for free, are generally infested with malware, and downloading apps from them is a good way to get infected. If you HAVE to install a file from an unknown source, ensure your device is set to automatically block such installations afterwards.

2. Keep your device and software up to date

In an ideal world, you should use a new phone, running the latest version of Android—KitKat. Older versions are less secure—leaving your device more vulnerable. Set your device to auto-update when software updates are available or manually check your device and download the latest version immediately.

3. Do the basics—lock your phone, back up data

There’s no excuse for not locking your device with either a PIN, or, ideally, a password to prevent unauthorized access to your device contents. Also, make sure to back up your device. Use apps such as Google Drive or Dropbox to ensure data—like photographs—are not solely stored on the device.

4. Manage apps and permissions

Inspect every app’s permissions before downloading. Permissions such as “Full network access” or the ability to send and receive SMS should make you think hard about installing the app. For your apps containing sensitive data—email, social networking, banking—lock these behind a PIN or password by downloading an app such as App Locker from Google Play.

5. Use a mobile security app

Android malware used to be dismissed as a myth. The discovery of PC-like malware such as Android/Simplocker shows just how fast malware is evolving for Google’s devices. A mobile security app such as ESET Mobile Security for Android will keep malware off your device. Set the app to scan your phone regularly and automatically.”

for the rest of the article go here:http://www.welivesecurity.com/2014/06/05/android-malware-how-to-keep-your-device-safe-from-filecoders-and-everything-else/?elq_mid=1272

Until we meet again, have a virus free week.