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:

[Tackhead]

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

We're in the business of selling you stuff you don't need. If we actually sold you what you wanted, you'd have stopped buying stuff from us in 1990, and we... umm... well, that wouldn't be good for us, you see?

If you don't like your phone because the UI was designed by a crazy frog hopped up on ecstasy and crystal meth, give it back to us, along with a $200 termination fee. We'll send you our latest phone. (We fired the crazy frog earlier this year and replaced him with a three-toed sloth, who we doped up on valium. Better buy your new phone now, because we had a guy with five cocks in our UI focus group this quarter, and he wants to be sure that when the phone's in his pocket, his pants fit like a glove!)

Re:Just one question:

[MightyMartian]

I'd like a phone than atomized self-important pricks that have theirs going off in restaurants and movie theaters.

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:

[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.

My phone?

[Valiss]

I'm not sure what OS my phone runs. Is there a list of phone make/models that are effected by these worms? Or is it just any phone that has bluetooth on it? How could one even tell if there was a virus on the phone?

Why, In my day...

[doxology]

We had to walk 15 miles in the snow to get a virus.

Re:Why, In my day...

[robertjw]

Well, in my day, we had to walk uphill in the snow just to use the phone.

Of course we also had to live in a lake.

Well, I guess

[scenestar]

its time top switch to Linux

Re:Bluetooth should be off anyway

[failure-man]

Except that nobody actually goes toothing. It's an urban ledgend that was probably created to see if it would become reality if you got enough people to believe it.

No Worries ...

[b3x]

I soak my in a powerful anticeptic every night while it is charging!

I though these things went after market share

[varmittang]

Not after nitch OSs and stuff. Shouldn't the iPod then have the most viruses. =) I mean really, there has to be a million or so iPods connected to PCs out there running Windows, that would be the potable market that you would want to infect. Destroying all the digital music out there and all. =) But, I guess market share doesn't mean much.

(I know, there is no real way for one iPod to infect the next, I'm doing a funny rant on market share is why windows is attacted)

Re:I though these things went after market share

[failure-man]

(I know, there is no real way for one iPod to infect the next, I'm doing a funny rant on market share is why windows is attacted)

Ahem . . .

Other reasons for mobile security

[itr2401]

There are other reasons for mobile security out there - especially in the corporate arena:
* Centralized Management and Provisioning
* Easy to Use
* Anti-Spam for SMS Text Messages (this is an emerging problem)
* Flexible Virus Scanning
* Rapid Virus Pattern Updates

Trend Micro has a solution for this already(Trend Micro Mobile Security), and supports the following Mobile Devices:
* Microsoft Windows Mobile 2003/2003SE for Smartphone
* Microsoft Windows Mobile 2003/2003SE for Pocket PC Phone Edition
* Symbian(TM) OS v7.0 with UIQ 2.0/2.1 User Interface
* Symbian OS v7.0s with Series 60 Platform User Interface

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.

Re:Putting your requirements on other people

[bhtooefr]

Symbian's actually not that vulnerable, it's just a bigger target than Palm OS when it comes to smartphones... Bluetooth, OTOH...

These viruses require active participation to get the thing going. Therefore, saying NO to an unsolicited BT DL will fix it.

Nightmare Scenario #14

[lateralus_1024]

Me:Hey what the hell is this $5.99 NAV fee in this months bill?

TMobile guy(via Mumbai): Good day sir, this is Trevor, please hold for a minute while I look up your account. By the way, how is the surf in Sunny San Diego California?

Me:(shooting up heroin to ease tension)

TMobile: That charge is for your monthly Norton Antivirus protection service. It protects you from malicious network activity.

Me:I would like to unsubscribe.

TMobile: Sir, you do understand that by removing the NAV protection, you risk data loss, loss of connection quality in case of emergency, and penal infection?

Me:I want it removed, and I want you to unsubscribe me from the NAV protection.

TMobile: Very well my homie. While I process your request, I will read you some T-Mobile special promotions regarding our new Universal Power Supply service for your mobile phone? Purchase now and receive any three Ashlee Simpson ring to...

Me:(hang up abruptly and curls into fetal position).

MOD LUDDITE UP +++7!!!! Insightful

[Anonymous Coward]

black and white TV is fine, why would anyone need color ? i just want to watch moving pictures

finnish?

[b100dian]

...F-Secure, a Finnish security firm ...

Slahsdot - news for newbies..

Come on, it's only a security firm? What's this, Fashion TV News?!?!

It's the security firm which makes F-Prot since Granny was a kid.. du-uh

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.

Re:Other reasons for mobile security

[pfefferle6]

We looked at the Trend beta for Windows Mobile in my office. They had to release an update just so you could install it. They then had to release a second update so that you could uninstall it when it when it completely screwed up your handset.