New York City’s Cyber Command division has launched ‘NYC Secure‘, a free smartphone app that claims to provide New Yorkers the ability to identify and defend against mobile cybersecurity threats.
First announced by Mayor de Blasio’s NYC Secure initiative, the City-funded app works offline without the need for an internet connection to detect threats to bring real-time protection. Further, the app does not require any personally identifiable information to operate. As a result, the app does not collect, store sensitive data and isn’t vulnerable to information theft.
“New Yorkers manage so much of their lives online, from paying bills to applying for jobs to engaging with government, Mayor de Blasio said earlier this year. “NYC Secure will ensure that we’re applying the best and most effective protection efforts to help New Yorkers defend themselves online.”
The development and launch of the free smartphone app were a direct response to the “dramatic increase” in use of mobile phones by residents to get online, the Mayor’s office said.
According to the office’s own stats, mobile phones accounted for 50% of web traffic while the average U.S. user spends over 5 hours a day on their smartphone. As a result, hackers are increasingly targeting smartphones with Gartner estimating that 30% of all cyberattacks will be mobile-based by 2020.
In a press release, New York City Cyber Command said:
The City-funded app provides on-device mobile threat protection not previously accessible for personal use because the City of New York believes that security tools and resources should be available to everyone, not just those who can afford them.
The free to download app ‘NYC Secure’ can be found on the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store.
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