As Threats Rise, Mobile Application Security Market Set to Reach $389 Million in 2012

From popular games to social networking and financial tools, all applications are increasingly moving toward the mobile platform. That sounds great. But, with it comes malicious software or malware and other such problems like loss, theft, spam, Trojans, spyware, data breach, and aggressive advertising. These are some of the threats facing the vulnerable mobile devices. Between the second quarters of 2011 and 2012, research firm ABI Research found that unique malware variants grew by 2180 percent reaching 17,439.

Hence, it is not surprising to know that mobile users are taking different measures to protect and secure their devices as well as apps. Market watcher ABI Research found that the global market for mobile application security will be worth $389 million by the end of 2012. This includes revenue for paid apps, partnerships with manufacturers and operators, white label deals, and dataset sales.


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To date, ABI Research’s calculations show that there have been over 130 billion downloads of mobile security apps. And it is expected to increase significantly.

In a statement, Michela Menting, senior cyber security analyst, said, “With the increasing popularity of smartphones, mobile threats are on the rise. This has implications for security at the corporate level as well as for individual privacy.” Menting added, “The mobile application security market is rife with vendors offering their wares. The priority now for end-users is understanding the issue at hand and finding the right offering that best suits their needs.”

According to ABI, a number of companies are standing out among the hoards of mobile security vendors. Among them, AVG Technologies, Lookout, and Avast Software offering well-rounded software that address malware, privacy and anti-theft concerns. With regards to innovation Lookout, Dr.Web, and TrustGo stand-out among other vendors. As for implementation, McAfee, Kaspersky Lab, and Ikarus have excelled in deploying viable long-term strategies, says ABI’s report.

These findings are part of ABI Research’s new Mobile Security Research Service, which includes market data, insights, and competitive assessments.

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