STC is the first mobile telecommunications network provider in the Middle East to launch the service, which will provide increased protection against proliferating mobile malware to nearly four million STC smartphone subscribers. The cost of the service will be SR12 per month.
"In response to the rapid growth in subscriber services and the increasing popularity of mobile-based Internet, STC has made security and convenient subscriber services a priority, addressing a growing need in an environment where data communication is becoming the core of most customers' transactions," said STC's Service Development Director Abdullah Al-Kanhal following the signing ceremony held on the sidelines of GITEX 2010 at Riyadh Exhibition Center.
Kanhal added that the protection of mobile devices is an important feature of trouble-free mobile communications.
"The fully Arabized Kaspersky KMS solution customized for STC will offer our subscribers a premium quality product," he noted. "STC's decision to select Kaspersky Lab's solution was based on the product's distinct strengths such as easy installation and setup, user-friendly functions, antivirus databases that update automatically and the company's renowned reputation in the field of antivirus protection."
In 2009, 39 new mobile malware families and 257 new mobile malware variants were identified. This is in comparison to the 30 new families and 143 new modifications identified in 2008, an indication that this year is likely to see a proliferation of mobile attacks.
Sergey Nevstruev, vice president of Kaspersky Lab, who flew in from Moscow to sign the agreement, said the new service would have a variety of anti-theft features that would be useful when a user loses his handset, such as being able to track the location of the device by simply sending an SMS to his own lost phone. The lost phone will automatically send an email to the owner displaying its existing location and also it would erase all the important data stored in the phone. Furthermore, he added that if the robber replaces the SIM, an automated message will be sent to the owner's e-mail indicating the number of the new SIM.
