Security is now a job for... the network!

According to a Deutsche Telekom study (German only), only 53 percent of smartphone users in Germany have installed software on their phones to prevent cyberattacks. At the same time, the number of malware programs is rising every day: there are more than 15 million malware programs in the wild for the Androidsmartphone operating system alone, Germany’s Federal Office for Information Security has reported. But non-secure smartphones can be a thing of the past for Deutsche Telekom mobile customers.

The company now offers the “Protect Mobile” security solution, in collaboration with Check Point Software Technologies, which enable threats to be neutralized within Deutsche Telekom’s mobile network. The core of this solution is the security app, which serves as an information center for users.

Protect Mobile works like a firewall within Deutsche Telekom’s mobile network: it recognizes and wards off cyberattacks before they can even reach the smartphone. Outside of the mobile communications network, the security app raises the alarm in case of threats and identifies them transparently. In the mobile network, the app displays information about prevented threats. In addition, the app displays error messages, warns of risks and provides specific instructions regarding what the user should do in case of an error or a threat. The app doesn’t take much memory, has an intuitive user interface, and is easy on battery life.

“Security solutions have to be simple, if people are to use them. And there’s no simpler solution than automatic protection by the infrastructure itself. With this product, we are revolutionizing mobile security for our customers,” says Dirk Backofen, head of Telekom Security, about the new solution.

“We are proud to team up with Deutsche Telekom. With this partnership, we can protect mobile devices for millions of customers against the ever-more sophisticated threats and covert attacks,” stresses Amnon Bar-Lev, President of Check Point Software Technologies. “With this joint solution, we offer comprehensive protection that is unique on the mobile communications market and can identify even the most complex threats that we face today.”

Protect Mobile protects smartphone owners from Internet dangers at home and abroad: the protective shield in the Deutsche Telekom mobile communications network identifies and deflects viruses, worms, and trojans automatically. In addition, Protect Mobile blocks dangerous websites within the Deutsche Telekom network. Apps are checked for security issues before they are downloaded. Whether during online banking, surfing the web or on social networks, with Protect Mobile, users are effectively protected against cyberattacks both on the go and in their home Wi-Fi network.

Deutsche Telekom customers can install Protect Mobile in two easy steps. First, they book the security product in addition to their existing mobile contract. Complete protection is then provided automatically in the Deutsche Telekom mobile communications network. Following this, they download the Protect Mobile security app from the App Store. It raises an alarm, for example, when it detects threats while you are surfing from a hotspot. New customers and customers who renew an existing mobile contract for an additional 24 months receive a free one-month trial period for “Mobile Protect” automatically and merely have to download the corresponding app. After the free month, the service can be booked for a small monthly fee.

Deutsche Telekom offers Protect Mobile in collaboration with Check Point Software Technologies. Telekom mobile customers can book the service for 95 euro cents per month. The product can be terminated at any time with notice to the end of a calendar month, and there is no fixed contract term. To be able to use Protect Mobile, the customer must have an Internet-enabled smartphone and a Deutsche Telekom mobile communications contract with an Internet option. The app is available for Android and iOS devices.