(NewsUSA) – With the wealth of Internet activity and connected communications offered by smartphones and tablets, our laptops and desktop computers are practically becoming passé.

This means your “cell phone” isn’t just a phone anymore, your tablet isn’t just for reading the latest romance novels, and it’s giving software and security experts reason to worry. The more you rely on smartphones and tablets for daily Internet activities, the more you should consider equipping those devices with security software. After all, if smartphones are more computer than phone, shouldn’t they be equipped with the same software protection as computers?

“We have found that users simply don’t think about viruses and malware posing a threat to their phones and tablets,” says Ann Biddlecom, product marketing director for Kaspersky Lab, an authority on antivirus protection and information security. “Not only are these mobile devices unprotected from viruses, they’re also much more likely to be lost or stolen, and security software helps you track them down.”

“Are Internet connections any more secure on an iPhone or Android? Absolutely not. Nowadays, almost everyone has at least two different digital devices that they use to connect to the Internet, but we’ve found that at least one is unprotected,” Biddlecom adds. “Since infected files on your PC or Mac can be transferred to your phone and tablet, or vice versa, it makes the most sense to get antivirus protection for all platforms, operating systems and devices.”

A recent Nielsen survey reported that more than one-third of the U.S. population — approximately 117 million people — regularly surf the Internet from a mobile device. With so many people getting online using two or more Internet-connected devices, now is the time to make mobile device security a “must have” for your digital life.

To protect all of your digital devices effectively, remember these three rules.

1. Smartphones and tablets are really handheld computers — all the same security precautions apply, like checking the authenticity of websites, links and emails.

2. You’re much more likely to misplace these mobile computing devices — just like a set of car keys, the smaller they are, the easier they are to lose?and you don’t want access to your email left sitting in the lost-and-found bin.

3. Install a multi-device security software from a reputable provider. Products like Kaspersky ONE Universal Security are a veritable one-stop-shop for personal security, complete with the ability to protect any combination of digital devices.

Get more security advice at www.kaspersky.com.