Mobile viruses a growing concern

Security systems can now block the first computer viruses attack on cell phones, but the mobile industry sees new risks stemming from upcoming open software platforms such as Google’s Android...

(Source: Reuters)

Since 2004, viruses have been able to disable phones or swell phone bills through pricey messages or unwanted calls, leading to a new security technology market.

“If Android becomes a fully open platform ... and when such a platform becomes more common, risks are greater than with the current platform kings such as Symbian,” said Mikko Hypponen, head of research at security software firm F-Secure.

Security specialists also pointed to potential risks arising from Apple’s plans to open its software platform to third party developers this month. Roughly 65 per cent of all smartphones sold in the fourth quarter used software from British supplier Symbian, according to research firm Canalys.

F-Secure and McAfee have been the leading security software vendors for mobiles, but many other anti-virus firms rolled out products for the mobile industry over the last few years. While the risk of a cell phone getting infected is still relatively small, thousands of phones have seen problems. Almost three out of four users were concerned about the safety of using new mobile services a survey of 2,000 cell phone users, commissioned by McAfee, reported at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

One in seven global mobile users have already been exposed to mobile viruses, either directly or they know someone whose phone has been infected, McAfee’s study showed. Since the first mobile virus appeared in 2004 the number of different viruses, worms or other types of malware has reached 395, F-Secure said, adding that the number of malware has increased only slightly in the last 12 months.

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