Mobile phone virus outbreak. Pocket PC / Smartphones next?

[Darius Wey]

We've all heard of the two bad boys, Brador and Duts. These two are potential viruses for the Pocket PC, yet their outbreak has been minimal - rare to say the least.

In June 2004, Cabir was discovered as an unreleased 'proof-of-concept' that viruses do exist for mobile devices, and can cause annoyance if an outbreak were to occur. Most have taken news of mobile device viruses lightly, yet in recent weeks, Singapore mobile users have felt the full force of this Cabir virus.

While it has not yet seriously infected mobiles, it can cause considerable drain in battery for those infected, and has the potential to spread to other mobile phone users of the Symbian operating system via Bluetooth.

While damage has not been extensive, it is indeed a proof of concept that these so-called "proof-of-concept" viruses can cause damage in the public network, and this recent example has shown that it would be best to be cautious to say the least.

If Cabir has already targeted Singapore, what is to stop Duts and Brador making a proper move on our Pocket PC user base, as opposed to remaining as a "proof-of-concept" virus?

Your thoughts?

If you are interested, you can view a full article on the topic here. (http://www.vnunet.com/news/1158549)

[surur]

Most pocketpc's are less connected than mobile phones. That alone a helps a lot.

Secondarily there are much less pocketpc's that mobile phones.

Its simple epidemic disease research. You can only have an epidemic if (succeptable population x amount of contact between members) is high enough. Else it will just fizzle out.

Its why Mac's have few virusses :)

Surur

[Darius Wey]

Most pocketpc's are less connected than mobile phones. That alone a helps a lot.

Secondarily there are much less pocketpc's that mobile phones.

That is true, yet the targeted mobile phones in this case must be running the Symbian OS. There isn't exactly a major user base for these type of devices, so the concept of mobile virus outbreaks can still exist, but of course...the impact it has, in comparison to PCs as an example, will be a lot less.

[JvanEkris]

Eeeeeh,

Symbian has a HUGE userbase. In Europe, Symbian owns 90% of the smartphone market, were Microsoft has 5%.......

jaap

[bob1919a]

LOL, who has the other 5%?

[JvanEkris]

LOL, who has the other 5%?Those are the really small players: the Palm Treo. the RIM blackberry, etc.

Symbian is verry big player in the GSM-Smartphone market.....

Jaap

[Darius Wey]

Eeeeeh,

Symbian has a HUGE userbase. In Europe, Symbian owns 90% of the smartphone market, were Microsoft has 5%.......

jaap

Okay...so maybe it varies from country to country, but the point is, if it can cause a bit of chaos in Singapore, what's to stop it from reaching out to the European market and causing a bit of pain and suffering there?