Mobile malware
July 26th 2009 08:48
The anti-malware firm Trend Micro has detected what is being described as the first mobile botnet (software robots that run
automatically or even autonomously).
Netguide warns that "The malware is a source file that works through the Symbian operating system installed in many mobile devices, and could be downloaded by unsuspecting users from malicious mobile Web sites."
The botnet calls itself Sexy Space, and steals the user’s subscriber, phone, and network information. It will then connect to a Web site where it sends that information. On top of this, it can spend spam text messages to contacts in the user's phone book. As with most botnets, this is a nasty little beast.
The botnet's technical name is SYMBOS_YXES.B, and this is supposed to be an authorised program. Somehow or other, the Symbian Foundation, which hosts this programme, has been caught napping, and the botnet has slipped past its authorisation programme.
Trend Malco says mobiles should have firewall protection, SMS spam protection, data encryption and URL filtering. How likely is this? Maybe the super-expensive models will have all or some of these, but I'd be surprised if they're readily available on your average cellphone. In fact, I'll be happy to be corrected, but I suspect that the average phone is about as well protected as the average barcode scanner, or digital watch.
Mobile phone photo by Milica Sekulic
Netguide warns that "The malware is a source file that works through the Symbian operating system installed in many mobile devices, and could be downloaded by unsuspecting users from malicious mobile Web sites."
The botnet calls itself Sexy Space, and steals the user’s subscriber, phone, and network information. It will then connect to a Web site where it sends that information. On top of this, it can spend spam text messages to contacts in the user's phone book. As with most botnets, this is a nasty little beast.
The botnet's technical name is SYMBOS_YXES.B, and this is supposed to be an authorised program. Somehow or other, the Symbian Foundation, which hosts this programme, has been caught napping, and the botnet has slipped past its authorisation programme.
Trend Malco says mobiles should have firewall protection, SMS spam protection, data encryption and URL filtering. How likely is this? Maybe the super-expensive models will have all or some of these, but I'd be surprised if they're readily available on your average cellphone. In fact, I'll be happy to be corrected, but I suspect that the average phone is about as well protected as the average barcode scanner, or digital watch.
Mobile phone photo by Milica Sekulic
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