Kuala Lumpur, 14 July 2014 – Consumers beware! 61 percent of consumers in Malaysia have either encountered or downloaded fake or risky apps on their mobile devices or do not know if their devices are infected with malware or viruses, according to a recent online poll conducted by Trend Micro Inc. (TYO: 4704; TSE: 4704 ), a global developer of security software solutions. To help combat the rapid rise of malicious and high-risk mobile apps in a game-loving nation like Malaysia, Trend Micro has come together with mobile game developers from around Asia to set up the Safe Gaming Alliance. This announcement signifies Trend Micro’s new focus on the mobile gaming industry, building upon its deep experience in the mobile and social networking space. As part of this commitment, Trend Micro is introducing the first-of-its kind Dr. Safety mobile security app, together with game developers in an effort to create a world safer for mobile gaming. First launched in Taiwan, the app is now available in the rest of Asia Pacific. It features six secure game technologies including a security certified games recommendations feature, to ensure consumers are downloading legitimate gaming apps for the best possible mobile gaming experience. Mobile gaming developers forming part of the Safe Gaming Alliance include Malaysia-based AppXplore, as well as developers from the region such as CreatioSoft, FunPlus, Games Solution Centre – Singapore, Gamiana, Gumi Asia, Monkey Wrench Games, PIGSSS GAMES, Softstar Entertainment and Tuttifrutti Interactive. “The mobile game market in Malaysia is poised to grow as more investments flow towards the development of mobile gaming apps. Today, cybercriminals are actively on the lookout to capitalize on this revenue-generating market, and are coming up with new and innovative ways to target consumers through mobile gaming apps. By working with local partners such as AppXplore, we can offer a trusted and secure platform for Malaysian consumers, sparring them the worry of downloading fake or risky mobile game apps that are pre-loaded with malicious content,” said Terrence Tang, Senior Director of Consumer Business, Asia Pacific, Trend Micro. Commenting on this partnership, Desmond Lee, Producer of AppXplore, which provides original and premium games and apps to consumers, said: “At AppXplore, we want to offer gamers more than just quality games. By being a member of the Safe Gaming Alliance, we believe it will not only give players a peace of mind while playing our games, but also allow us to focus on developing our games.” Mobile Gaming Landscape in Malaysia and Beyond In Asia where mobile and social networking are intricate parts of daily lives, explosive growth of mobile gaming industry is anticipated. According to a report from Dutch-based research firm Newzoo, mobile-games revenue will expand at a compound annual growth rate of 27.3 percent until 2016. The report also cited that the Asia-Pacific region is by far the biggest market for mobile games with 48 percent of global revenue. In addition, Trend Micro’s recent online poll surveying more than 2,000 respondents from Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Philippines confirmed that consumers in Asia have a robust appetite for mobile gaming. Yet, with the extensive usage of mobile phones for gaming, many consumers remain vulnerable to mobile threats. Key findings of the online poll include: • Consumers in Malaysia are avid gamers – 75 percent of respondents in Malaysia play mobile games at least once a week, with 46 percent gaming daily. In terms of mobile gaming app downloads, 37 percent of consumers download gaming apps weekly, while 26 percent download gaming apps monthly. • While consumers in Malaysia love mobile gaming, many are not willing to spend more than USD$2 on mobile gaming apps – 67 percent of respondents in Malaysia will not pay more than USD$2 per app. • On average, less than half of surveyed parents are involved in their children’s mobile lifestyle – Only 41 percent of respondents in Malaysia are aware of what their children play on mobile devices even though 48 percent of respondents game frequently with family members and friends. • More than half of respondents in Malaysia are vulnerable to mobile threats – Only 19 percent of respondents in Malaysia have security or anti-virus apps installed on their mobile phones. When asked if they have encountered or downloaded fake or risky apps, 38 percent indicated they have, while 23 percent said they do not know if they have downloaded fake apps. • Most consumers in Malaysia do not check if their apps are authentic – Only 23 percent of respondents in Malaysia check their apps following download from the app stores. Beware the Mobile Threats! The number of mobile malware and high-risk apps hit 2 million according to Trend Micro’s first quarter security roundup for 2014. The mobile threat landscape is quickly resembling today’s PC threat landscape wherein vulnerabilities are discovered one after another since June 2013. The Android™ “master key” vulnerability, which affected almost all devices, could make any mobile malware “legitimate.” Shortly after, vulnerabilities in device accessories like SIM cards and fake iPhone® chargers also came to the fore. A platform bug that could also trap a device in an endless reboot loop and another that could leak user data soon followed. Most recently, the Heartbleed vulnerability posed a risk to mobile devices. It is no secret that cybercriminals are actively repacking popular mobile gaming apps for malicious intent. These apps are not only hosted on malicious sites but even in legitimate app stores. One good example is the recent case of trojanised Flappy Bird, which was repackaged and injected with malicious code and downloaded by countless of unsuspecting users within the first 24 hours following the announcement of the official apps’ withdrawal from the app store. Game On Safely on Mobile with Dr. Safety Dr. Safety is a free mobile app with a unique game application recommendation function, giving mobile gamers the confidence to play any recommended games with a peace of mind and sparing them the worry of downloading a copycat application or having virtual items stolen. Providing 100% detection, Dr. Safety protects users against external threats and efficiently clears any malicious mobile applications off their devices. It improves user’s Facebook privacy and identify malicious apps that steal info including fake banking apps. Dr. Safety provides 100% detection according to AV-TEST and is also certified by PCSL and AV-Comparatives. The six safeguarding features in Dr Safety include: 1. Safeguard game account - scans all of your apps and files to ensure they are not malicious 2. Safeguard privacy - identifies which apps collect and steal your personal info using the Trend Micro Smart Protection Network 3. Anti-phishing - blocks malicious websites including phishing and fake bank sites 4. Anti-theft - finds your device back when you have lost it 5. Anti-disturbance - blocks unwanted contact with whitelists and blacklists of phone numbers 6. Secure Certified Games Recommendation - download apps with confidence and play recommended games and utilities without worries Dr Safety is immediately available for download in Google Play and now supports English, Bahasa Indonesia, Chinese (Traditional), Portuguese (Brazil), Russian, Thai, Turkish and Vietnamese. To download the free Trend Micro Dr. Safety app: 1. Go to Google Play store and search for "Dr. Safety" or 2. Scan the QR Code and download the app in three seconds.
