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New free app promises to protect Android users from Heartbleed

Published Apr 28th, 2014 1:05PM EDT
Android Virus Scan Heartbleed

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After all this time, is Heartbleed really still an issue we should be concerned with? Yes, yes it is. Heartbleed, the shockingly severe and widespread OpenSSL flaw that impacted 66% of the entire Internet at the time of its discovery, has already been addressed by thousands upon thousands of websites. But believe it or not, there are still countless websites — and apps — out there that have yet to apply the updates necessary to protect their users.

With vulnerable Android apps having been downloaded a whopping 150 million times, Heartbleed is a particularly important issue for Android users. And now, a simple new app claims that it will protect Android phone and tablet owners for free.

Released last week and updated on Monday, CM Security Heartbleed Scanner by app developer KS Mobile will scan your Android device for apps that are still vulnerable to Heartbleed. Continued usage of apps and websites that remain vulnerable can lead to the theft of your login credentials and other sensitive personal data.

KS Mobile highlights the following features:

  • It’s 100% free and available today on Google Play
  • Scans all Android mobile apps on Android Device to check for Heartbleed-infected applications
  • Checks Android hardware to verify security of physical mobile device
  • Reminds users to change their passwords or delete any infected apps until the Heartbleed bug is fixed
  • Protects users’ sensitive data, such as passwords and account credentials, by reminding users to change their passwords or delete any infected apps until the bugs are fixed.

This developer is also the team behind popular anti-virus Android app CM Security, which has been downloaded more than 10 million times and has a 4.7 star rating in the Google Play store with nearly 2.5 million reviews.

CM Security Heartbleed Scanner is completely free and can be downloaded by following the link below in our source section.

For more on how to protect yourself from Heartbleed and other security flaws, see our post on how to tell if any of your accounts have been hacked.

Zach Epstein
Zach Epstein Executive Editor

Zach Epstein has been the Executive Editor at BGR for more than 10 years. He manages BGR’s editorial team and ensures that best practices are adhered to. He also oversees the Ecommerce team and directs the daily flow of all content. Zach first joined BGR in 2007 as a Staff Writer covering business, technology, and entertainment.

His work has been quoted by countless top news organizations, and he was recently named one of the world's top 10 “power mobile influencers” by Forbes. Prior to BGR, Zach worked as an executive in marketing and business development with two private telcos.