DUBLIN, Ireland-The threat from so-called mobile viruses has been given another airing following a report from McAfee Security. However, the threat still seems to be taken more seriously by security solution providers than by virus writers, few of whom have yet to identify mobile networks as worthwhile targets.
Since late 2001 when a pan-European survey on next generation mobile services produced by Siemens found that a large percentage of consumers had serious reservations about the security of wireless interfaces, the possibility of mobile viruses infecting millions of handsets across networks has been an occasional hot topic.
There have also been misleading stories, most notable from Spain where reports of a mobile virus proved to be nothing more than an unsolicited short mess service (SMS) infected with a PC virus.
However, relying on apathy among virus writers is a dangerous tactic. McAfee predicts that by 2005, a malicious attack on next-generation phones would have the potential to infect almost one-third of mobile users within three days.
Mobile devices will become more attractive targets, according to Arvind Narain, senior vice president at McAfee Security. “As 2.5G and 3G networks become part of our everyday life, hackers and virus writers will launch attacks that exploit these new technologies,” Narain said.
