AppMakr launched a new type of in-app security service for mobile app publishers. The integrated service provided by San Francisco-based security company MetaCert, is the first of its kind to protect consumers from mobile malware and phishing attacks by checking the reputation of web links before loading content inside the mobile app.

Businesses around the world lost a total of $453 million due to phishing attacks during December 2014, according to a new report by RSA. The US hosted 48 percent of phishing attacks in December, followed by the United Kingdom (7 percent), Germany (5 percent) and China (3 percent).

When using a computer, browsers protect consumers from known phishing websites by providing a warning before loading the page. Unfortunately, the same level of protection does not exist on mobile. Even when using legitimate apps, it is not possible to know if a web link within an app is taking you to legitimate content or a spoofed webpage with malicious intent, because it is not always possible to see the URL inside an embedded app ‘WebView’.

“This means reading email and opening web links inside apps on your smartphone can be far more dangerous than browsing the web on your computer. And with cyber-criminals now focused on mobile, businesses around the world are likely to lose a lot more than $453 million in 2015,” says Jay Shapiro, CEO of AppMakr, in a press statement.

AppMakr’s service, provided by MetaCert, checks the reputation of links in real time from inside the app, warning consumers of a potential threat before loading the webpage. Publishers can also choose to block adult content inside their apps by opting for category-based content filtering.

According to the State of Mobile App Security report released at the end of 2014, there will be 253 billion app downloads by 2017, nearly double that of this year’s figure of 127 billion.

Through this partnership, AppMakr wants to make sure that mobile app attacks do not deter small businesses, community organizations or individuals from adopting a mobile app strategy because of security concerns or inappropriate content.

Anti-virus apps and network-based detection systems don’t check the reputation of web pages before you visit them, so they’re not effective at keeping consumers safe from phishing attacks that lead to malware and adware.

AppMakr is providing its publishers with two paid subscription options for theMetaCert protection. For $5 per month MetaCert will monitor and ‘harden’ the app against any phishing or malware attempts that might come through third-party web links. In addition to this, or taken on its own, for $5 per month, MetaCert will block any adult content from ever appearing in a published app.