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First Symbian OS virus to replicate over MMS

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the only-a-matter-of-time dept.

Shachaf writes "A new virus, CommWarrior.a, is the first to replicate over MMS (Multimedia Message Service). From the article: 'Multimedia Message Service (MMS) is a more advanced version of the Short Message Service (SMS) familiar to users of GSM based handsets around the world, and allows rich content such as pictures, sounds, video, and applications to be sent as well as text.', and '"With MMS messages typically costing between $0.25 and $1.00 CommWarrior could prove expensive to anyone unlucky enough to be infected by it. As the virus runs silently in the background it could be quite some time before the user becomes aware of the potentially hundreds of MMS messages that have been sent," said Aaron Davidson, CEO of SimWorks.'"

8 of 179 comments (clear)

  1. First AV As well... by RobertTaylor · · Score: 3, Informative

    The first virus... but lucky there is already anti virus software out there for your p910 :)

  2. Trojan not virus by lxdbxr · · Score: 5, Informative
    I know the nomenclature is largely ignored nowadays, but I would call this a trojan not a virus since it requires the user to run it to start spreading: Quote from the ZDNet version of the story:
    A recipient also has to accept and download CommWarrior in order for the Trojan to launch itself.
    It's not like it starts running as soon as you open the MMS message; you actually have to take steps to run the application contained in the message. Of course some people will run anything...
    --
    -- Nothing unusual happened today
    1. Re:Trojan not virus by ms139us · · Score: 2, Informative

      Parent is correct. Has anyone on slashdot ever tried to install unsigned software on a Symbian device?

      It is littered with warnings and confirmation screens. Anyone who got this virus had to endure the installation process confirmations. It is worse than a EULA.

      I find that I lack sympathy for a user who repeatedly selected "ok" and "continue" after being warned that this software cannot be verified -- software that arrived unsolicited.

      It takes a whole new kind of inattention to allow this virus to spread.

    2. Re:Trojan not virus by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

      A trojan is NOT necessarily a virus. Here's the difference:

      A trojan is a piece of software that contains malicious code, which COULD be a virus or worm, but it is not necessary. It could simply do something nasty without spreading.

      A virus is a piece of malicious code that attaches itself to another program. Just like biological viruses infect cells to reproduce.

      A worm is a piece of malicious code that simply replicates. For example the original Internet worm broke into other systems and executed itself from the new host to spread further. It did not attach itself to other programs.

  3. hehe by Turn-X+Alphonse · · Score: 2, Informative

    When will people learn the more features something has the more holes it has in it. My cellphone can take calls and text, doesn't even display colour but if I have a car accident or I get injured it'll do the job just as well as any "3G super mega hyper magical edition" phone.

    Maybe people need to learn that the home phone is better for calling friends and mobiles are mostly for emergencies and when someone needs to urgently contact you..

    --
    I like muppets.
  4. Re:Sure would like a link... by Shachaf · · Score: 2, Informative

    There is a link. It's at the top: CommWarrior.a.

  5. Re:Looks like a trojan, not a virus by enjo13 · · Score: 2, Informative

    That effort is actually being driven by Symbian. Accessing sensitive information on both future UIQ and Series 60 (And any other Symbian derivative that pops up) will require priviliges via signing.

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    Turn s60 photos into awesome videos with mScrapbook for all S60 3rd edition phones!
  6. Europe by grahamsz · · Score: 2, Informative

    In most of europe cellphones are essentially premuim rate numbers. Unlike the US where the cellphone holder pays for every minute, europeans place the cost burden on the person making the call.

    Typically these rates aren't too bad, but when you start calling from one network to another they can get VERY high. In the UK I would pay close to 1$US/minute to call from orange -> tmobile.

    Text messages are generally very cheap and practical. Plus they are better for communicating certain types of information since you have a record of it. Not to mention the privacy issue of being able to text when you are in a meeting at work or in a resturant.

    On top of that you can IM with people on their computers.