New Anti-Virus App Removes Malware from iPhone, iPad

Intego's VirusBarrier iOS is the first malware-scanning app for Apple mobile devices. CREDIT: Intego View full size image

The security firm Intego has released the first anti-virus app specifically designed for Apple's iOS mobile devices.

Intego's VirusBarrier iOS allows iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch users to scan their devices and "detect and eradicate all known malware affecting Windows or Mac OS X," Intego wrote in a press release.

These include "viruses, worms, Trojan horses, fake antiviruses, and other types of malware that might otherwise pass through undetected," Intego said.

VirusBarrier iOS can also be deployed to scan ZIP files, poisoned PDFs, email attachments and files downloaded to IOS devices from remote locations such as Dropbox. It automatically updates malware definitions and keeps logs of scans, and repairs infected files.

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VirusBarrier iOS is not a perfect solution — it does not run automatic or scheduled scans, and cannot scan apps for possible infection, and as part of Apple's own security measures, third-party apps, including VirusBarrier, are not permitted to access the larger iOS file system.

But it's a start, and a necessary one.

Earlier this month, a security hole was detected in iOS 4, the newest mobile operating software. It is currently being exploited by cybercriminals and is still unpatched.

Intego's VirusBarrier IOS is available as a $2.99 download from Apple's App Store.

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This story was provided by SecurityNewsDaily, sister site to iPadNewsDaily.