Technology Tuesday: Cerberus Anti-Theft for Android

Cerberus for Android

There’s a ton of anti-theft apps available for Android devices. I have tried many of them and have been reasonably happy with being able to track my device if it is misplaced with previous apps. Additionally, being able to remotely turn on the ringer or sound an alarm are also nice features existing in many “find your phone” apps. However, none offer quite the full suite of abilities that Cerberus does. No Android user who wishes to protect their device should be without this fantastic app.



What makes this app so good? It is easy to use, requires zero programming and offers literally dozens of  features not found on other security apps.

How do I use this? The app is downloaded to your mobile device and you create an account with Cerberus and a password. Conveniently, the license that is linked to your created account allows for up to five devices to be tracked. Once your app is installed and account created, you can utilize the features is three ways:

– Via Text Message: Simply send a command via SMS to your device. As you can see, in addition to simply tracking your device, a full range of actions are possible including wiping, taking pictures, enabling WiFi & Data and many others. If tracking multiple devices, like I do, it is nice to only have to know the master password for the account. A partial list of available commands:

cerberus password find   (to locate your device)
cerberus password siminfo   (to get SIM card info)
cerberus password lock code   (to lock your device with a password, replace *code* with a lock code)
cerberus password unlock   (to unlock your device)
cerberus password alarm text   (to display a message & play a loud alarm, replace *text* w/ message)
cerberus password call number   (to call a phone, replace *number* with the phone number you want to call)
cerberus password takepicture   (to take a picture & send it to your email, front camera)
cerberus password capturevideo   (to capture a video & send it to your email)
cerberus password screenshot   (to grab a screenshot & send it to your email)
cerberus password wipe   (to wipe your device memory)
cerberus password wipesd   (to wipe the SD card)
cerberus password enabledata   (to enable data access on your device)
cerberus password enablewifi   (to enable WiFi & connect to open networks)
cerberus password reboot   (to reboot the device (works only on rooted devices))

– From the Website: By going to www.cerberusapp.com and logging into your account, you can easily pick which device, if more than one, that you are interested in controlling. The dashboard is intuitive and offers scores of options in addition to what is available via SMS. A familiar Google Maps insert allows you to track your device in real time and easily toggle from Map View to Satellite View. A quick glance at the dashboard also shows you battery life, connection status, tracking status and pending commands sent to your device.

[Cerberus Dashboard]

– Android Client : In addition to the actual app that allows remote tracking, there is an additional client app that operates completely separately from the App. The Client App is similar to sending SMS messages with the exception that you can easily pick which command you’d like to send without having to remember anything.

What other features make this stand out? 

  • SIM Checker: When you set up your device, you can choose up to three separate numbers to automatically text if the SIM is swapped. This allows you to easily send commands to the new number. Texts sent and received will not appear in the messaging application.
  • Complete Uninstall Protection: If your device is “rooted”, you can ensure that Cerberus can’t ever be uninstalled even with a complete wipe and re-install of ROM.
  • Hide from App Drawer: Obviously, once installed and setup, you will not want the Cerebus icon in your app drawer to tip off would be thieves.
  • No Battery Drain: When not needed, there are no processes running in the background brutalizing your battery. Nothing is initiated until you send your commands.

How Much Does it Cost? It’s Free to download and use for a week. Full features and no limitations. If you like it and want to continue using your license for up to five devices, it will cost about $4.00. This license is for life and there are no annual fees.

Bottom Line: Being able to track my phone, my tablet and my kids’ phones for less than $4 via web, phone app or text message is well worth the price. Add in the ability to take pictures, video, get text log, wipe contents and dozens of other features gives me a huge piece of mind. The interface is simple and it works well.

_________________________________

Hidden Track Technology Tuesday
email: [email protected]
twitter@tmwsiy
voice-mail:  (781) 285-8696

Have an idea for an article? Product, app, or web service you are passionate about? Feel free to get in touch with me.

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