For all of the Apple Watch fans, I’m excited to announce that Avast SecureMe will be available for the device soon. We will launch Avast SecureMe for iOS this summer and will then also expand its functionality for Apple Watch. We designed the app specifically for unsecured Wi-Fi networks, which are a low-hanging fruit for hackers looking to spy on people’s browsing activities and to re-route users to fake sites that collect logins, PINs and other personal information. A ubiquitous presence in cafes, hotels and airports, an alarming number of public Wi-Fi routers are poorly configured. In a study conducted in New York, Chicago and San Francisco, our researchers found out that more than half of routers aren’t set up in a secure way.
To protect users from losing valuable personal information, Avast SecureMe performs the following operations:
- Quick glance to see if router security is enabled
- Notifications if the router is unsecured
- Establish a secure connection in unprotected Wi-Fis
If the iPhone or iPad the Apple Watch is connected to enters a suspect network, Avast SecureMe notifies the user and engages its VPN to secure user connections for online tasks like email, banking, and engaging on social networks. In fact, Avast SecureMe automatically connects to the secure VPN when it detects a user connecting to public Wi-Fi, making all transferred data invisible to prying eyes. Users can disable the protection for Wi-Fi connections they trust, like their home network.
Avast SecureMe will be available for iPhones and iPads, and is extendable for use on Apple Watches.