New machine
learning-powered malware detection technology identifies zero-day and
transformational malware threats at processor level
Mobile
World Congress, Barcelona, Spain, Feb. 19, 2016 – Avast
Software, maker of the most trusted mobile and PC security software
in the world, was selected by Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. as the lead mobile
security service to integrate Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ Smart Protect, a behavioral
analysis-based, anti-malware technology that utilizes technology from the
Qualcomm® Zeroth™ Machine Intelligence Platform to detect mobile malware threats
to smartphone security and personal privacy in real-time. Qualcomm Technologies
and Avast will be demonstrating this mobile security solution at Mobile World
Congress.
Mobile malware is on the rise. Avast currently
has over two million malicious samples in its mobile threat
detection database. Every day, Avast detects 12,000 new, unique mobile malware
samples and each quarter about 15% of mobile users worldwide encounter mobile
malware.
With the growing use of mobile devices and the valuable
data they contain, malware developers are increasingly targeting mobile users.
One example of mobile malware is ransomware, which locks a device or the data
on it and demands a ransom to unlock the device. Adware is also spreading on
mobile. Adware often comes in the form of a gaming or
entertainment app that seems harmless, but what users are unaware of is that
the adware is using their infected device to click on ads. In 2015, Avast
also detected new forms of mobile spyware, intruding users’ privacy and collecting
their data. In addition to mobile malware, potential exploits in the Android
operating system such as Stagefright put users at risk.
"With threats increasing every day, OEMs and
mobile operators need to protect their users in real-time,” said Gagan Singh,
president of mobile at Avast. “Snapdragon Smart Protect provides security at
the processor level, which is designed to improve customer privacy and protect
them from rogue applications, zero day attacks, and ransomware. We are proud to have worked with Qualcomm
Technologies on this effort."
“Snapdragon Smart Protect is engineered to support
real-time, accurate detection of zero-day and transformed mobile malware,” says
Sy Choudhury, senior director of product management, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.
“The
combination of Qualcomm Technologies’ dynamic, behavior-based malware analysis
of Snapdragon Smart Protect and the core malware analysis delivered by Avast
enables very powerful and comprehensive security and privacy protection for
device users.”
Traditional security software is limited to scanning
and monitoring software behavior at the application layer level. Snapdragon Smart
Protect utilizes Qualcomm Technologies’ Zeroth machine learning technology to
detect and classify a broader range of mobile malware at the processor level to
achieve an even higher level of protection. While consumers will benefit from
better protection, OEMs and mobile operators will benefit from reducing the
risk of data leakage and malware attacks for their users.
Snapdragon Smart Protect is available to handset
OEMs now on the Snapdragon 820 processor, and is expected to be supported by additional
Snapdragon SoCs later this year. The first commercial devices with Snapdragon
Smart Protect are expected in the first half of 2016.
# # #
Qualcomm and Snapdragon are trademarks of
Qualcomm Incorporated, registered in the United States and other countries. Zeroth
is a trademark of Qualcomm Incorporated.
Qualcomm Snapdragon Smart Protect is a
product of Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. Qualcomm Zeroth is an initiative of
Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.
