Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Anti-Virus Protection For Your Cell Phone

Posted by Zonk on from the little-wireless-virii dept.

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. "

4 of 102 comments (clear)

  1. Just one question: by ScrewMaster · · Score: 4, Insightful

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

    --
    The higher the technology, the sharper that two-edged sword.
    1. Re:Just one question: by ScrewMaster · · Score: 3, Insightful

      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.

      --
      The higher the technology, the sharper that two-edged sword.
  2. Too many features. by failure-man · · Score: 4, Insightful

    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.

    1. Re:Too many features. by DrEldarion · · Score: 5, Insightful

      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.