Viruses, Trojans And Worms -- Unplugged?

An Anonymous Coward writes: "This two-part article at Wireless NewsFactor examines the risks of malicious code on wireless platforms and what companies can do to combat potential threats. The gist of it is that wireless viruses/worms/trojans are unlikely to spread unchecked, and it digs pretty deep into why that is the case."

Comments

deCSS virus

[kaldari]

Why doesn't someone write an email virus that includes the alogirithm to decode DVDs? Then everyone would be breaking the law! Yeehaw! Breakin' the law!

This reminds me

[wbav]

Of once, with the ILUVU virus, we had a person re-infect their machine, becuase they downloaded the virus in their e-mail into their palm. When we cleaned the machine for her, she synced up her palm and put the e-mail back. The lady was stupid enough to click on it a second time.

Buzzwords, get them hot and fresh

[migstradamus]

Let's see when the clever media use these terms regarding wireless malware:
"air-borne virus"
"pegasus" (flying trojan, oh never mind)
"Quetzalcoatl" (you can figure it out)

More prosaic:
"wireless worm"
"Code Infrared"

I think it was summed up....

[Lxy]

in the very first paragraph. Anything that can be programmed can be programmed to do bad things. In my opinion, wireless opens up a new door. Since all devices must communicate over open air, they're easily sniffed. Just wait until someone figures out how to HIJACK a packet and trick the wireless device into thinking it's contacting a trusted host when in fact it's exchanging packets with a trojaned host. Then you open up a new attack angle. Suddenly you're downloading a spreadsheet to your PDA that's not a spreadsheet, it's an Excel macro virus.

IMHO this article is really arrogant. It's still a well known fact that unplugging your computer is the only true security, connecting it via wireless is opening up the channel even wider.

Virus/worm/trojan

[boinger]

Is that what they're calling WinCE these days?

Finally, they agree with me.