Viruses are every computer user's worst
nightmare. But is your cell phone vulnerable to an infection,
too? Several recent viruses have threatened mobile devices.
As the line of difference between mobile devices and
computers is blurring at a fast pace, these gadgets
are acquiring more and more technical capabilities and
in turn, becoming less and less secure from outside
threats. With increasing use of wireless technologies
such as WAP and Bluetooth, growing adaptability of operating
systems such as Windows CE and Symbian, and advent of
embeddable programming languages like Java and .Net,
mobile devices have acquired features considered unthinkable
for communication gadgets and have become almost as
easily programmable as computers. The power packed into
the little machines is bound to make you thrilled but
somewhere in the wild, the virus writers are smiling.
What could be the intentions of possible hackers
of mobile phones? Well, they might use them for financial
gains, for spying related activities, to choke a network
on behalf of a competitor, to steal your personal
information or for sheer programming pleasure. Mobile
networks are not monitored for viruses like Internet
servers are. This makes mobiles easy prey for virus
writers.
Now a days, on account of these phones being directly
attached with billing or credit systems, they make
an appealing target for the virus writers. This might
bring unexpected consequences for unsuspecting users.
Just imagine your mobile being infected by a virus
that allows a hacker to make international calls at
your cost. Calls may also be made to phone services
that charge for every call they receive.
“Last year, the number of viruses and worms
that affected cell phones and PDAs increased substantially.
Mobile device viruses like “Cabir” and “CommWarrior.A,”
could read addresses and phone numbers and spread
from mobile phones and BlackBerrys through Bluetooth
connections and mobile messaging services without
the user’s knowledge. While these types of attacks
have not become pervasive, they have the potential
to infect and spread from devices consumers least
expect, and target devices that probably lack security
protections.” explains Sulabh Mahant, Security
Analyst, MicroWorld.
“Viruses and worms cannot infect a very large
numbers of wireless devices until at least 30 percent
of users commonly receive e-mails with attachments.
By year-end 2007, large-scale user-to-user sending
of more-complex executables will be commonplace. Once
smart phones account for 30 percent of all wireless
telephones in use--likely no sooner than the end of
2007--rapidly spreading attacks will be much more
likely” says Govind Rammurthy, CEO, MicroWorld,
analyzing the new developments.
However, MicroWorld is already working on a security
solution for seamless wireless communication. “We
are in the process of developing an Integrated AntiVirus
and firewall system to provide Real-Time protection
for smart phones operating on Microsoft Windows CE
and Symbian operating systems. A new technology to
filter all type of emails, messages and files that
come via input devices, is under development. Simultaneously,
the firewall will work on a set of rules to block
or permit two-way communication.” reveals Govind
Rammurthy, outlining their current plans for mobile
security.
With a vision to provide a comprehensive security
blanket on every communication device on the planet,
MicroWorld is definitely mobile on the right path.
