New Virus Hits Symbian Smartphones

[Kris Kumar]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.engadget.com/entry/1234000673025145/' target='_blank'>http://www.engadget.com/entry/1234000673025145/</a><br /><br /></div><i>"With the number of viruses and trojans being developed for it, the Symbian OS for Series 60 smartphones is rapidly starting to look like the Windows 98 of cellphones. The latest, MGDropper, comes disguised as the game Metal Gear and is capable of wiping file managers, anti-virus programs and installers. It’ll also send files by Bluetooth to compatible phones that pass by. Great. F-Secure can already handle its most malicious aspect—it drops the Cabir.G worm on your phone—and Symantec also has a fix, so if you’ve got your definitions up-to-date you should be okay. (Of course, you’re already okay if you don’t install files from unreliable sources.) If you don’t have an affected phone, enjoy the schadenfreude and go ahead and gloat about the fact that your el cheapo phone will never get infected by anything."</i><br /><br /> <img src="http://www.smartphonethoughts.com/images/Kris-SymbianVirus1.jpg" alt="User submitted image" title="User submitted image"/><br /><br />I agree with engadget, the Symbian smart phone platform is coming under increased virus attacks, as if it were Windows 98. :lol: And to make matters worse, according to the <a href="http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,1745949,00.asp">news reports</a> the source code for the mobile virus Cabir has been published online.

[Janak Parekh]

I think this is a direct effect of Symbian being #1 in this case. I presume this method of propagation would also work on Windows Mobile if someone tried...

--janak

[Kris Kumar]

Symbian is definitely being attacked because it is the most popular phone platform.

And Microsoft Smartphones are equally vulnerable. More because the method of propogation is very low tech. Transmitting infected files using Bluetooth file transfer, and expecting the person on the receiving phone to accept the file. :roll: As long as we pay attention to the security warning tossed at us when we try to run apps or install apps, we will be fine.

Coming back to MS Smartphones; WM2003SE offer three modes of security - Unrestricted, Standard and Restricted. Almost all WM2003SE phones are shipped in Standard mode. Standard mode requires apps that need to make core system calls (like looking into contacts, or send messages etc, stuff that virus writers would do) be certified. And in Restricted mode ALL apps need to be certified before they can be installed. So MS Smartphones are somewhat ready to face the challenge. But then it is not tested in real life. And virus writers are creative. ;-)

Not to mention (dumb/smart) users like me have turned off the security on my Smartphone down to the unrestricted level. Which requires no certification what-so-ever. Viruses are welcome. :lol:

[Kris Kumar]

Oh Bottomline: Thanks to these handful of (stupid yet creative) virus writers, the cell phone carriers will start locking up the phones. And will restrict the users from installing third party apps. Or maybe insist on installing apps offered by their site or certified by them. :( Remember those early Microsoft Smartphones that were app locked.

[Mike Temporale]

With any luck, the majority of people using WM have not modified the phones security level, and thus have a little more protection than you or I. However, it's only a matter of time before there is a buffer overflow that allows these to install without a warning message, and take control over your device - regardless of the platform. :evil:

[TANKERx]

You can get a perspective on the Symbian user's predicament by visiting my blog entry on the matter (http://twyn-y-berllan.com/blog/2004/12/mobile-how-to-not-catch-mobile-virus.html), or this (http://3lib.ukonline.co.uk/viruses.htm) 3-Lib article (which pretty much says the same thing).