Microsoft to bring antivirus software to Android, iOS

San Francisco, Feb 21 (IANS) Microsoft has announced that it will bring its antivirus software Defender Advanced Threat Protection (ATP) to iOS and Android.

“Defender ATP offers preventive protection, post-breach detection and automated investigation and response for Windows and macOS. Today we’re announcing support for Linux and plans for iOS and Android as well,” Ann Johnson, Microsoft Corporate Vice President, Cybersecurity Solutions Group, wrote in a blog post on Thursday.

The product is likely to help businesses prevent malware and phishing attacks, thereby helping employees to guard their usernames and passwords or other account information.

While the Microsoft blog post did not reveal the date or roll out of the product for mobiles, a report in CNBC said that it may be available later this year.

The decision to bring its Defender software to mobile devices reflects Microsoft’s growing focus on smartphone products.

It recently made its unified Office experience combining the Word, Excel and PowerPoint apps available for Android users worldwide.

“Cybersecurity always comes down to people – good and bad. Our optimism is grounded in our belief in the potential for good people and technology to work in harmony to accomplish amazing things,” Johnson said in the blog post.

“After years of investment and engineering work, the data now shows that Microsoft is delivering on the potential of AI (Artificial Intelligence) to enable defenders to protect data and manage risk across the full breadth of their digital estates,” Johnson added.