On Dec. 5, Dallas leaders announced the launch of Dallas Secure, a mobile security application developed by local technology startup Zimperium.
“Public safety comes first in Dallas—and cybersecurity is a form of public safety,” Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson said in a statement. “It is critical for our residents and for businesses to remain vigilant about their online safety in a 21st century economy. We must work collaboratively to ensure that Dallas is on the cutting edge when it comes to stopping cybersecurity threats.”
Available for free on the Apple iOS and Android platforms, the app automatically detects text and QR code phishing attempts in addition to malicious websites and Wi-Fi networks in real time, then provides information on how to handle the threats. Dallas Secure does that without collecting personal identifiable information or transmitting private data, according to a news release.
Zimperium has built similar customized software in other cities, including New York City and Los Angeles.
“We all have so much personal and business-related information on our mobile devices, making them rich targets for hackers,” Zimperium CEO Shridhar Mittal said in a statement. “And many people can’t or don’t update their operating systems to keep up with the evolving threats, making them inherently insecure.”
Dallas said the launch of the mobile app bolsters its efforts to lessen the digital divide—the gap between those with access to the internet and other digital technologies and those without—in the city through its Broadband and Digital Equity Strategic Plan, which was created in 2020 in partnership with Dallas ISD and seeks to close that gap via investments, public-private partnerships and programs.
Formed in 2010, Dallas-based Zimperium focuses on developing cybersecurity solutions for mobile devices and apps. Earlier this year, the company was acquired by Liberty Strategic Capital, a private equity firm led by former U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Steve Mnuchin, in a $525 million deal.
“The city of Dallas is becoming a leader in closing gaps in digital inequities in the community,” Dallas’ Chief of Staff Genesis Gavino said in a statement. “This app will help inform our residents about cybersecurity in a way that makes it easy to understand, which will empower them to take steps to protect their digital privacy.”
