First antivirus for Google Android phones

For more than a year, Google has been touting its mobile phone operating system known as Android and how it would open up the platform to developers around the world, interested in developing Android applications. Two weeks ago, T-Mobile began selling its G1 handset, the world’s first Android based cell phone.

VirusGuard is the first commercially available mobile security solution specifically developed to protect devices utilizing the Google Android operating system. Using the knowledge gained by developing antivirus and security applications for BlackBerry, Windows Mobile, Symbian, Palm and iPhone, SMobile engineers began development of VirusGuard for Android more than a year ago.

SMobile VirusGuard for Android will allow users to scan their devices and memory cards for over 400 known instances and variants of mobile Malware. These viruses, worms and trojans can infect and cross-over between mobile devices via the memory card. New Malware can infect devices via the web-browser, memory card and the installation of malicious open source applications. As Android Malware grows, VirusGuard for Android users can rely on SMobile to detect new viruses, trojans and worms and to provide users with timely virus signature updates.

In the coming weeks and months, SMobile plans to adapt the remainder of the SecurityShield suite to offer firewall, anti-spam and lock, wipe and backup for the Android platform. SMobile will also be able to offer parental controls that will allow parents to closely monitor their child’s cell phone voice and messaging activities to ensure they are safe.

Currently, VirusGuard for Android is available to consumers at www.handango.com . In early Q1/09, G1 users can visit the Android Market Place to purchase and download VirusGuard for Android.