Two popular Android security apps, Kaspersky Mobile Security and TrustGo Mobile Security, can now snap photos of smartphone thieves after they've stolen a device. But CIO.com blogger James A. Martin questions the real-world value of these new features. Here's why. Statistics show that more than 110 smartphones are lost or stolen every minute in the United States. That translates into a huge amount of people frantically running around, feeling as if their right hands have been cut off. Two new Android apps promise to come to the rescue. Kaspersky Mobile Security (currently $10 for a one-year license) and TrustGo Mobile Security (free) both include new features that can snap photos of your Android device’s thief, according to their developers. (I haven’t actually tested these features.) Kaspersky Mobile Security now communicates with a Web-based control center, which lets users control the app’s security features from any Internet-connected computer. Using the control center, you can remotely lock or wipe your AWOL Android and—here’s the cool part—snap a photo on the sly of anyone using your phone. A “Mugshot” feature in the control center takes over your Android device’s front-facing camera and secretly snaps photos of the perp, which you can then view through the control center or receive in an email message. Kaspersky’s app also includes a feature for remotely locating, locking and wiping a missing Android. You can also view activity logs and determine if the phone’s SIM card has been removed. Don’t want to pay the $10 for Kaspersky Mobile Security? TrustGo Mobile Security might be for you. The anti-virus security app recently added a “Candid Camera” feature that lets users automatically take photos of anyone who unsuccessfully enters their locked Android phone’s password three times. The photo comes to you in an email. The app also offers a “find my phone” tool, as well as remote lock, wipe, and alarm features and other security controls. The photo-of-the-thief idea is a novel one, but I wonder how effective a photo will be in apprehending the crook? Smartphone theft is extremely common these days, and I doubt many police departments have time to fully investigate. A GPS location, usage logs and a photo might help—but I wouldn’t want to rely on them. A better bet: Be judicious in how and where you use your smartphone. For more on that, see my post “5 Surefire Ways to Get Your iPhone or iPad Stolen.” Related content opinion Website spoofing: risks, threats, and mitigation strategies for CIOs In this article, we take a look at how CIOs can tackle website spoofing attacks and the best ways to prevent them. By Yash Mehta Dec 01, 2023 5 mins CIO Cyberattacks Security brandpost Sponsored by Catchpoint Systems Inc. Gain full visibility across the Internet Stack with IPM (Internet Performance Monitoring) Today’s IT systems have more points of failure than ever before. Internet Performance Monitoring provides visibility over external networks and services to mitigate outages. By Neal Weinberg Dec 01, 2023 3 mins IT Operations brandpost Sponsored by Zscaler How customers can save money during periods of economic uncertainty Now is the time to overcome the challenges of perimeter-based architectures and reduce costs with zero trust. By Zscaler Dec 01, 2023 4 mins Security feature LexisNexis rises to the generative AI challenge With generative AI, the legal information services giant faces its most formidable disruptor yet. That’s why CTO Jeff Reihl is embracing and enhancing the technology swiftly to keep in front of the competition. By Paula Rooney Dec 01, 2023 6 mins Generative AI Digital Transformation Cloud Computing Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe