![]() ![]() Given that most Android users are syncing contacts and photos to Google’s cloud, this tool may not be helpful for most users. ![]() Users are able to manually configure which of the three to use, and whether to conduct the backups when connected to WiFi or any mobile network. Backup Contacts, Photos, and Call Logsįinally, Lookout contains a tool to automatically back up contacts, photos, and call logs. Although I wasn’t affected, I was able to read a report on a Facebook breach that impacted more than 50 million users. If you happen to be running any of those apps, they will be populated under a “your services” screen along with information about any recent data breaches that may have taken place. Lookout also contains a “Breach Report” screen which aggregates reports of data breaches from a large number of Android apps. Breach Reports From Around the Mobile Web There’s also the ability to remotely lock the device, trigger a screaming sound to embarrass a potential thief, and remotely wipe the system memory to protect sensitive data. I tested the program and although it did not succeed in taking a photo from my forward-facing camera, one clear photograph was taken and I received the alert email in a matter of seconds. In the event of detected theft, the program will use all the handset’s available cameras to take a photo of the presumptive thief and send them to the email registered on the account. The theft-protection sequence can be triggered for conditions such as SIM card removal, airplane mode being enabled, or even uninstalling the app itself. This is an impressive feature with multiple options for remotely locking down the handset in the event of theft or loss. In addition to its security functions, Lookout includes: Anti-Theft Protection With Advanced Lock-Down Options Much of this functionality is available within the stock menus, but Lookout has certainly done a nice of job of making the information more presentable. After seeing that list of individual apps, you can click into them to see what other permissions they have on your device. The privacy tab provides a dockable list of which apps have been granted permissions on your handset, such as read/write access on your Google Calendar. The WiFi tab turned out to do little more than alert me if I was not connected through a VPN-if not, the network was automatically deemed “unsafe,” even if it was my home connection-and provide some graphics about the risks of using unsafe connections. After trying but failing to find a “disconnect VPN” in the main menus, I had to resort to navigating to my handset’s connectivity settings to return to regular, unencrypted browsing. However, the program provided no user-friendly means of disconnecting it, which I found surprising. The connection was speedy and reliable and succeeded in blocking access to five known phishing URLs that I tested, providing popup notifications and causing an HTTP error to show within Chrome. The web security module works by setting up a VPN connection that will automatically block known malware and phishing sources. There’s also no option to schedule scans and manually running them is far from ideal. As far as I could tell, only apps (and not the filesystem itself) are being scanned. Without this data to go by, it’s difficult to know how effective its detection really is. Recently, the company has stopped submitting to independent bench-marking tests. That program-which allows you to clone popular messaging apps such as WhatsApp and Facebook-has always worked well for me, and after researching it, I believe this was a false positive. It took no time to identify the Test Virus app by Itus Mobile Security, and it also flagged Multiple Accounts by Zhuoan Technology as a piece of malware. The app scanner probes the user’s installed apps and will flag any that are known virus, trojans, or other malware. Lookout divides its “security” tab into apps, web, Wi-Fi, and privacy. With about one million reviews on the Google Play Store and a 4.5-star average, I was keen to see whether it lived up to the praise. “Security & Antivirus” is its Android product, although the program itself is simply branded with the company name. Lookout has been in the mobile security game for over ten years.
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