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:

[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.

[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.

Well, I guess

[scenestar]

its time top switch to Linux

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)

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

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