Anti-Virus Protection For Your Cell Phone

spect3r writes "BBC Tech reports that F-Secure, a Finnish security firm has created a software program to combat the increasing number of viruses that manage their way into cell phones. Although not as robust as your mainstream virus scanners for the PC, the software promises to protect bluetooth enabled handsets (the most vulnerable type) from most of the current types of virus software, such as Cabir or Commwarrior. F-Secure said that it's boxed anti-virus software for mobiles will be in the shops and available online from 5 September." From the article: "Mobile viruses such as Cabir and Commwarrior can spread via the Bluetooth short range radio system found on many smart phones. Commwarrior can also spread via multimedia messaging systems. Most of the mobile phone viruses target handsets that use the Symbian operating system. Infection can be avoided by turning off Bluetooth on smart phones. "

Comments

Just one question:

[ScrewMaster]

Is there anything wrong with a cell phone that's just a phone? All I want to do is make calls.

Re:Just one question:

[moo083]

I think having a phone with all the neat features on it is really cool, but I don't see this as a troll post.

I would probably rate your post as flamebait. I don't think this post has anything wrong with it. It is relevant, has an opinion, and is written out in proper English.

I think a phone that is just a phone is a very important thing to be able to buy and be something most people know about, however it isn't advertised by any phone service, nor do most people know about them. Just us folks here on /. While I think that the neat features on new phones are cool, they need to advertise both or at least have it out on their website as an option and have a display model in shops. Unfortunately, this is not how it currently works, so I think this guy's post is relevant.

Another thing: Don't you think its kind of crazy that a simple device such as a phone is getting a virus? I mean, these devices used to be really simple, and now they have all these features. Sure, a lot of people, such as myself, are willing to take that risk to get viruses, to have cool features on a phone, but many people are, understandably, against that.

I think this guy was perfectly valid in his statement, even if it has been said many times before. I'm sure there are angry rebutals to most of them too!

Re:Just one question:

[Anonymous Coward]

And this is exactly why I still have my Nokia 5150. It makes calls. Has caller-ID. Has a phone-book. Has a couple tiny, worthless games.

No camera.
No MP3 player.
No polyphonic ringtones.
No walkie-talkie functionality.
No multiplayer games.
No E-Mail.
No real-time AIM chat.
No bluetooth.
No IR connectivity.

NO VIRUSES.

It makes phone calls. That's it.

Sure, I get funny looks when it shifts the wrong way in my pocket, but what do you expect from a phone that was free in 2000?

Re:Just one question:

[ScrewMaster]

Just FYI I'm an engineer who's been developing real-time industrial applications for twenty years. Probably I know more about wireless technology than you do and hardly qualify as a Luddite, but in any event I look at the cell phone market as being driven largely by creeping featuritis, much like Microsoft Office. Features and functions that have little to do with what the majority of users (obviously, such a suave, sophisticated, downright impolite citizen such as yourself wouldn't quality) really need or want, but can be used to convince the more sheeplike (or small-penised) among them to plunk down real money.

I like gadgets as much as the next American, but when I do buy something along those lines I simply like to make sure it's worth what I'm paying. Gratuitiously buying high-tech toys simply makes landfills bigger and shrinks your wallet, and I got news for you, technology-boy ... there are millions of sophisticated cell phones out there being used by people that haven't the slightest idea how to do anything more with them than press Send.

Too many features.

[failure-man]

If my phone is smart enough to get hit with worms it's really smarter than it needs to be. I want my phone to be able to make phone calls and basically nothing else. It should "just work," be durable, be cheap, and should not require me to pay for antivirus software to keep it functional.
 
If I want a PDA and an iPod I'll carry a PDA and an iPod.

Re:Too many features.

[robertjw]

I agree, especially since I went to my cell being my only phone. Last thing I need is to be unable to communicate with anyone because my fancy phone contracted a virus. As long as there are vulnerabilities, I would rather have multiple devices.

Re:Too many features.

[DrEldarion]

So... don't get a feature-filled phone? Last time I checked, there were plenty of base-model phones out there that only send and receive calls, and maybe have a calculator as well.

You may not want a camera, bluetooth, web browsing, MP3 ringtones, etc, but there are lots of people out there that want and use these features.

Putting your requirements on other people

[hellfire]

Damnit why do /.ers continue to think their requirements match everyone elses? This kind of thinking shows that you think what's good enough for you is good enough for everyone else. That's bullshit.

I personally want an all in one PDA that has MP3s and a phone. Why? I do not want to be carrying around three devices all the time. I'm a man so I don't carry a pocket book, and I don't want to be carrying around a briefcase or anything like that. I want one device on my hip that does it all.

The iPod is the king of MP3 players right now there's no disputing that. But a phone that has a pared down mp3 player is just fine by me, I don't want to load 1000 songs, maybe just 50.

I continue to insist that the Treo 600 and 650 is the device that hits this market perfectly. Great phone, Great PDA, simple MP3 player. This is my dream phone right now and it's all I need.

And it's immune to these worms. Maybe the problem is Symbian is a vulnerable OS, like Windows, and people are so used to viruses on on Windows that they think it's just something all electronic equipment suffers from. In that case, replace your Symbian phone with a Palm or Blackberry or Linux phone and your in good shape.

mod parent ++7!!!! security expert !!

[Anonymous Coward]

yeah cos Linux is perfectly safe

no fucking way

[yagu]

The day I have to start paying for anti-virus software to protect my fucking phone is the day I stop using cell phones... PERIOD.