Vendor's rebranded mobile malware software, Motive Security Guardian, is now being offered in the cloud.

Sarah Thomas, Director, Women in Comms

December 1, 2014

2 Min Read
AlcaLu Virtualizes Mobile Malware Security

Alcatel-Lucent is taking its mobile malware protection services to the cloud under a new moniker, Mobile Security Guardian. (See AlcaLu Attacks Malware With Motive Security Guardian.)

The security platform is a rebranding of Alcatel-Lucent (NYSE: ALU)'s Kindsight Security Labs' mobile malware software used by operators such as TDS Telecom , but with one key difference: It's virtualized to make it easier for operators to deploy in a cloud environment. (See Alcatel-Lucent Releases Malware Report and LTE Brings More Malware.)

The platform automatically notifies customers if malware is found on their devices, providing steps for them to remove it themselves. The hope is to eliminate potential calls to customer care. Alcatel-Lucent says Guardian, as a virtualized solution, can identify malware and take steps toward preventing it without having to be installed on devices. It is part of the vendor's CloudBand 2.0 NFV portfolio and its Motive Customer Experience Management platform, which focuses on automated CEM through data analytics. (See Alcatel-Lucent Unveils New OSS Strategy and Alcatel-Lucent Unveils Motive Big Network Analytics Solution.)

For more on mobile security, be sure to check out the agenda for our Mobile Network Security Strategies show taking place on Wednesday in New York.

Why this matters
Moving security to the cloud has cost and service agility advantages, and it also meshes with operators' predilection for virtualization in any and all new service offerings. Securing the device and its apps is relatively low-hanging fruit when it comes to mobile security, but it is nonetheless important. According to Alcatel-Lucent's studies, 15 million mobile devices are infected with malware at any one time -- a number that's growing by 20% annually. And 65% of mobile users expect their wireless operator to be the one to do something about it.

Speaking of doing something about it... Light Reading is holding its next Mobile Network Security Strategies show in New York City this Wednesday, where Heavy Reading analyst and security expert Patrick Donegan will be joined by executives from Verizon Enterprise Solutions , AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) and other operators to discuss how the network itself can be a security tool. Find out more and register to attend here.

Related posts
Check out coverage from last spring's Mobile Network Security Strategies conference below:

— Sarah Reedy, Senior Editor, Light Reading

About the Author(s)

Sarah Thomas

Director, Women in Comms

Sarah Thomas's love affair with communications began in 2003 when she bought her first cellphone, a pink RAZR, which she duly "bedazzled" with the help of superglue and her dad.

She joined the editorial staff at Light Reading in 2010 and has been covering mobile technologies ever since. Sarah got her start covering telecom in 2007 at Telephony, later Connected Planet, may it rest in peace. Her non-telecom work experience includes a brief foray into public relations at Fleishman-Hillard (her cussin' upset the clients) and a hodge-podge of internships, including spells at Ingram's (Kansas City's business magazine), American Spa magazine (where she was Chief Hot-Tub Correspondent), and the tweens' quiz bible, QuizFest, in NYC.

As Editorial Operations Director, a role she took on in January 2015, Sarah is responsible for the day-to-day management of the non-news content elements on Light Reading.

Sarah received her Bachelor's in Journalism from the University of Missouri-Columbia. She lives in Chicago with her 3DTV, her iPad and a drawer full of smartphone cords.

Away from the world of telecom journalism, Sarah likes to dabble in monster truck racing, becoming part of Team Bigfoot in 2009.

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