First mobile worm ‘no threat’
p2pnet.net News:- One of the reasons mobile phone users haven’t been under virus attack before Cabir, the first reported example, is because virus writers weren’t ready for moving targets.
At least, that’s how Sophos’ Graham Cluley sees it.
He also says, "The only way this virus looks like it will spread is by anti-virus researchers sending it to each other in their high security laboratories."
Mobile devices (PDAs and phones) have been theoretically vulnerable to viruses and Trojans for some years, Cluley says on the company’s web page here, "but there has been very little malware written".
The, "variation in details such as OS version, firmware revision and device characteristics in the mobile arena has resulted in a ‘moving target’ for virus writers. This is one reason why there is not currently a large threat to mobiles from malicious code. The virus writers seem much more interested in attacking the old faithful target: Computers running Microsoft Windows."
Will this statement be seen as a security company throwing down the gauntlet?
Be that as it mayh, Cabir’s taste is for mobiles running the Sybmian OS used by mobile phones such as the Nokia Series 60.
But despite "hysterical reports from some members of the security community the virus does not appear to be in the wild, and seems unlikely to spread without the recipient being aware of it," says Sophos.
"The Cabir worm attempts to spread via Bluetooth to other compatible mobile phones in their vicinity, but recipients have to confirm they wish to receive the worm before it can infect them. Users probably need to be more concerned about the large number of malicious Windows worms spreading around via email and the internet at the moment."
This February Adam Laurie, technical director and co-founder A.L. Digital, said some bluetooth-enabled devices have serious flaws through which the entire device can be ‘backed up’ to an attacker’s system.
On the other hand, Nick Hunn, a long-standing Bluetooth proponent, said A.L. Digital’s research gives little cause for concern.
June 18th, 2004 at 8:14 am
Oh no! Now Mcafee and Norton will charge every cellphone user $40 a year for ‘protection’!
They’ve already made millions on the supposed ‘y2k’ scare! And it didn’t happen!
June 18th, 2004 at 8:25 am
Talk about bleeding the public for money!
P.S….there are tons of ‘free’ programs. Zone Alarm, with basic common sense, is all you need.
Interesting article is here…
http://vmyths.com/hoax.cfm
Read into it what you will. Virus protection is a multi-million dollar industry. If there were no viruses, that industry would die. And we both know that ain’t gonna happen!