AT&T signs security deal with Juniper to put anti-virus software on your phone

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AT&T signs security deal with Juniper to put anti-virus software on your phone

Always strong in the enterprise, AT&T now upgrades security so tablets can safely access to sensitive coporate data

By PETER WHITE

Published: 12 August, 2011

READ MORE: North America | Security | Handset | Tablet

AT&T wants to make security part of its bid to win mobile clients, and not just security for enterprise customers, but it wants to protect consumers devices also by adding anti-virus, anti-malware, and application monitoring. It has moved a step towards this with a deal it has cut with Juniper Networks and later this year will include an application based on Juniper's Junos Pulse platform for all tablets and smart phones.

Part of the idea is to allow individual users or major organizations to set their own security policies and the new App will only be the first phase of the plan.

For enterprises AT&T is offering the ability to remotely remove or encrypt data on mobile devices and to have this function centrally administered, so lost handsets or tablets that have important corporate data won't need to pull in the operator to help cut off access to the data. This should make it easier for enterprises to trust tablets with more sensitive data.

The Juniper Junos Pulse is client software that can work on any device or network and provide dynamic security and application acceleration with no user interaction. Juniper says it is identity aware and location aware, and seamlessly migrates from one access method to another based on device location. In the enterprise it can be used to handle identity management to give secure access on portable devices to corporate network resources. It uses a standard spec called Trusted Network Connect and connects all devices to a global threat center for downloading virus signatures dynamically.

"Mobile security is the 'next frontier' for our continued effort to mitigate cyber-threats and to help protect our customers' information," said Ed Amoroso, chief security officer, AT&T. "With the help of Juniper Networks and the power of AT&T Labs and the AT&T Mobility Security Research Center behind us, we'll be able to deliver new security capabilities to provide peace of mind to companies and consumers alike."

"We are proud to work with AT&T to help them protect their most important asset, their customers," said Mark Bauhaus, executive vice president and general manager of the Device and Network Services business group at Juniper Networks. "Teaming with AT&T to bring this unique and comprehensive mobile security solution to market will enable a vast number of consumers and enterprises to have state-of-art security features in their mobile life and be better protected from malicious threats."