The first known cell-phone virus appeared in 2004 and didn't get very far. Cabir.A infected only
a small number of Bluetooth-enabled phones and carried out no malicious action -- a group of
malware developers created Cabir to prove it could be done. Their next step was to send it to
anti-virus researchers, who began the process of developing a solution to a problem that
promises to get a lot worse.
A cell-phone virus is basically the same thing as a computer virus -- an unwanted executable file
that "infects" a device and then copies itself to other devices. But whereas a computer virus or
worm spreads through e-mail attachments and Internet downloads, a cell-phone virus or worm
spreads via Internet downloads, MMS (multimedia messaging service) attachments and
bluetooth transfers. The most common type of cell-phone infection right now occurs when a cell
phone downloads an infected file from a PC or the Internet, but phone-to-phone viruses are on
the rise.
Current phone-to-phone viruses almost exclusively infect phones running the Symbian operating
system. The large number of proprietary operating systems in the cell-phone world is one of the
obstacles to mass infection. Cell-phone-virus writers have no Windows-level marketshare to
target, so any virus will only affect a small percentage of phones.
Infected files usually show up disguised as applications like games, security patches, add-on
functionalities and, of course, pornography and free stuff. Infected text messages sometimes steal
the subject line from a message you've received from a friend, which of course increases the
likelihood of your opening it -- but opening the message isn't enough to get infected. You have to
choose to open the message attachment and agree to install the program, which is another
obstacle to mass infection: To date, no reported phone-to-phone virus auto-installs. The
installation obstacles and the methods of spreading limit the amount of damage the current
generation of cell-phone virus can do.
Phones that can only make and receive calls are not at risk. Only smartphones with a Bluetooth
connection and data capabilities can receive a cell-phone virus. These viruses spread primarily in
three ways:
1. Internet downloads - The virus spreads the same way a traditional computer virus does.
The user downloads an infected file to the phone by way of a PC or the phone's own
Internet connection. This may include file-sharing downloads, applications available
from add-on sites (such as ringtones or games) and false security patches posted on the
Symbian Web site.
2. Bluetooth wireless connection - The virus spreads between phones by way of their
Bluetooth connection. The user receives a virus via Bluetooth when the phone is in
discoverable mode, meaning it can be seen by other Bluetooth-enabled phones. In this
case, the virus spreads like an airborne illness.
3. Multimedia Messaging Service - The virus is an attachment to an MMS text message.
As with computer viruses that arrive as e-mail attachments, the user must choose to open
the attachment and then install it in order for the virus to infect the phone. Typically, a
virus that spreads via MMS gets into the phone's contact list and sends itself to every
phone number stored there.
In all of these transfer methods, the user has to agree at least once (and usually twice) to run the
infected file. But cell-phone-virus writers get you to open and install their product the same way
computer-virus writers do: The virus is typically disguised as a game, security patch or other
desirable application.
The Commwarrior virus arrived on the scene in January 2005 and is the first cell-phone virus
to effectively spread through an entire company via Bluetooth. It replicates by way of both
Bluetooth and MMS. Once you receive and install the virus, it immediately starts looking for
other Bluetooth phones in the vicinity to infect. At the same time, the virus sends infected MMS
messages to every phone number in your address list. Commwarrior is probably one of the more
effective viruses to date because it uses two methods to replicate itself.
The first known cell-phone virus, Cabir, is entirely innocuous. All it does is sit in the phone and
try to spread itself. Other cell-phone viruses, however, are not as harmless.
A virus might access and/or delete all of the contact information and calendar entries in your
phone. It might send an infected MMS message to every number in your phone book -- and
MMS messages typically cost money to send, so you're actually paying to send a virus to all of
your friends, family members and business associates. On the worst-case-scenario end, it might
delete or lock up certain phone applications or crash your phone completely so it's useless. Some
reported viruses and their vital statistics are listed below.
The best way to protect yourself from cell-phone viruses is the same way you protect yourself
from computer viruses: Never open anything if you don't know what it is, haven't requested it or
have any suspicions whatsoever that it's not what it claims to be. That said, even the most
cautious person can still end up with an infected phone. Here are some steps you can take to
decrease your chances of installing a virus:
1. Turn off Bluetooth discoverable mode. Set your phone to "hidden" so other phones
can't detect it and send it the virus. You can do this on the Bluetooth options screen.
2. Check security updates to learn about filenames you should keep an eye out for. It's
not fool-proof -- the Commwarrior program generates random names for the infected
files it sends out, so users can't be warned not to open specific filenames -- but many
viruses can be easily identified by the filenames they carry.
3. Install some type of security software on your phone. Numerous companies are
developing security software for cell phones, some for free download, some for user
purchase and some intended for cell-phone service providers. The software may simply
detect and then remove the virus once it's received and installed, or it may protect your
phone from getting certain viruses in the first place. Symbian has developed an
anti-virus version of its operating system that only allows the phone's Bluetooth
connection to accept secure files.
Future possibilities include viruses that bug phones -- so someone can see every number you call
and listen to your conversations -- and viruses that steal financial information, which would be a
serious issue if smartphones end up being used as payment devices. Ultimately, more
connectivity means more exposure to viruses and faster spreading of infection. As smartphones
become more common and more complex, so will the viruses that target them.
a small number of Bluetooth-enabled phones and carried out no malicious action -- a group of
malware developers created Cabir to prove it could be done. Their next step was to send it to
anti-virus researchers, who began the process of developing a solution to a problem that
promises to get a lot worse.
A cell-phone virus is basically the same thing as a computer virus -- an unwanted executable file
that "infects" a device and then copies itself to other devices. But whereas a computer virus or
worm spreads through e-mail attachments and Internet downloads, a cell-phone virus or worm
spreads via Internet downloads, MMS (multimedia messaging service) attachments and
bluetooth transfers. The most common type of cell-phone infection right now occurs when a cell
phone downloads an infected file from a PC or the Internet, but phone-to-phone viruses are on
the rise.
Current phone-to-phone viruses almost exclusively infect phones running the Symbian operating
system. The large number of proprietary operating systems in the cell-phone world is one of the
obstacles to mass infection. Cell-phone-virus writers have no Windows-level marketshare to
target, so any virus will only affect a small percentage of phones.
Infected files usually show up disguised as applications like games, security patches, add-on
functionalities and, of course, pornography and free stuff. Infected text messages sometimes steal
the subject line from a message you've received from a friend, which of course increases the
likelihood of your opening it -- but opening the message isn't enough to get infected. You have to
choose to open the message attachment and agree to install the program, which is another
obstacle to mass infection: To date, no reported phone-to-phone virus auto-installs. The
installation obstacles and the methods of spreading limit the amount of damage the current
generation of cell-phone virus can do.
Phones that can only make and receive calls are not at risk. Only smartphones with a Bluetooth
connection and data capabilities can receive a cell-phone virus. These viruses spread primarily in
three ways:
1. Internet downloads - The virus spreads the same way a traditional computer virus does.
The user downloads an infected file to the phone by way of a PC or the phone's own
Internet connection. This may include file-sharing downloads, applications available
from add-on sites (such as ringtones or games) and false security patches posted on the
Symbian Web site.
2. Bluetooth wireless connection - The virus spreads between phones by way of their
Bluetooth connection. The user receives a virus via Bluetooth when the phone is in
discoverable mode, meaning it can be seen by other Bluetooth-enabled phones. In this
case, the virus spreads like an airborne illness.
3. Multimedia Messaging Service - The virus is an attachment to an MMS text message.
As with computer viruses that arrive as e-mail attachments, the user must choose to open
the attachment and then install it in order for the virus to infect the phone. Typically, a
virus that spreads via MMS gets into the phone's contact list and sends itself to every
phone number stored there.
In all of these transfer methods, the user has to agree at least once (and usually twice) to run the
infected file. But cell-phone-virus writers get you to open and install their product the same way
computer-virus writers do: The virus is typically disguised as a game, security patch or other
desirable application.
The Commwarrior virus arrived on the scene in January 2005 and is the first cell-phone virus
to effectively spread through an entire company via Bluetooth. It replicates by way of both
Bluetooth and MMS. Once you receive and install the virus, it immediately starts looking for
other Bluetooth phones in the vicinity to infect. At the same time, the virus sends infected MMS
messages to every phone number in your address list. Commwarrior is probably one of the more
effective viruses to date because it uses two methods to replicate itself.
The first known cell-phone virus, Cabir, is entirely innocuous. All it does is sit in the phone and
try to spread itself. Other cell-phone viruses, however, are not as harmless.
A virus might access and/or delete all of the contact information and calendar entries in your
phone. It might send an infected MMS message to every number in your phone book -- and
MMS messages typically cost money to send, so you're actually paying to send a virus to all of
your friends, family members and business associates. On the worst-case-scenario end, it might
delete or lock up certain phone applications or crash your phone completely so it's useless. Some
reported viruses and their vital statistics are listed below.
The best way to protect yourself from cell-phone viruses is the same way you protect yourself
from computer viruses: Never open anything if you don't know what it is, haven't requested it or
have any suspicions whatsoever that it's not what it claims to be. That said, even the most
cautious person can still end up with an infected phone. Here are some steps you can take to
decrease your chances of installing a virus:
1. Turn off Bluetooth discoverable mode. Set your phone to "hidden" so other phones
can't detect it and send it the virus. You can do this on the Bluetooth options screen.
2. Check security updates to learn about filenames you should keep an eye out for. It's
not fool-proof -- the Commwarrior program generates random names for the infected
files it sends out, so users can't be warned not to open specific filenames -- but many
viruses can be easily identified by the filenames they carry.
3. Install some type of security software on your phone. Numerous companies are
developing security software for cell phones, some for free download, some for user
purchase and some intended for cell-phone service providers. The software may simply
detect and then remove the virus once it's received and installed, or it may protect your
phone from getting certain viruses in the first place. Symbian has developed an
anti-virus version of its operating system that only allows the phone's Bluetooth
connection to accept secure files.
Future possibilities include viruses that bug phones -- so someone can see every number you call
and listen to your conversations -- and viruses that steal financial information, which would be a
serious issue if smartphones end up being used as payment devices. Ultimately, more
connectivity means more exposure to viruses and faster spreading of infection. As smartphones
become more common and more complex, so will the viruses that target them.
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