Download these antivirus apps, says Cyber Security Agency

SINGAPORE: The Cyber Security Agency (CSA) has for the first time recommended a list of seven antivirus apps for people to use to guard against phishing and malware.

The move is part of the agency’s latest national campaign, launched on Saturday (September 30).

The agency is urging people to:

Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) and use strong passphrases 

Beware of phishing scams 

Update software promptly 

Add ScamShield and antivirus (AV) apps.

ScamShield is an app developed by Open Government Products in collaboration with the Singapore Police Force and the National Crime Prevention Council. 

The Cyber Security Agency is also recommending the following antivirus apps,  which come in free and paid versions, for Android and iOS devices

Android

Avast Antivirus and Security – free

AVG Antivirus and Security – free

Kaspersky Antivirus and VPN – paid

Lookout Security and Antivirus – paid

McAfee Security: VPN Antivirus – paid 

Mobile Security and Antivirus (Trend Micro) – paid

Norton360 Antivirus and Security – paid

iOS

Avast Security and Privacy – free

AVG Mobile Security – free

Kaspersky: VPN and Antivirus – paid

Lookout – Mobile Data Security – paid

McAfee Security: Privacy and VPN – paid

Norton360 Security and VPN – paid 

TM Mobile Security – paid

The agency says: “Do assess the app functions which best suit your needs. For better protection against cyber threats, it might be worthwhile to consider a paid option.

But remember – there is no 100% protection and it is important to remain vigilant and adopt good cyber hygiene habits to protect your devices.”

The agency added that it tested these apps in August by installing them on devices and then infecting the devices with recent malware variant to see if the apps could detect them.

However, the antivirus apps are unable to scan other iOS apps for malware because of Apple’s safety restrictions. As a result, CSA said it could not test the apps’ ability to detect malware on iOS devices, reported the Straits Times.

There were 22,339 scam cases reported between January and June, up from 13,576 cases over the same period in 2022, the police said in a mid-year report, the Straits Times added.  Victims lost S$334.5 million in the first half of 2023.

Ms Josephine Teo, Minister for Communications and Information, launched the Cyber Security Agency’s fifth national campaign at the Suntec City Convention Centre Atrium on Saturday (Sept 30).

The campaign, “The Unseen Enemy”, highlights the unseen yet pervasive nature of cyber threats and scams in our daily lives, and the need for everyone to be vigilant against these threats. A short video was produced to highlight the losses that unseen cybercriminals can inflict.