Mobile Phones Are Not so Safe Anymore

Though viruses and spam are nothing short of ubiquitous on the Web, the Georgia Institute of Technology Information and Security Center (GTISC) recently reminded consumers of the inevitable overflow of these troubles into the mobile realm.

As mobile device owners carry out an increasing number of sensitive activities on their phones, cybercriminals will have even more incentive to target the relatively nascent market.

Spam and virus attacks will likely take the same form they currently have for PC-based attacks, according to the GTISC.

Simeon Coney of Adaptive Mobile said network operators 100,000 virus incidences per day, about 50 percent more than last year.

Coney told BBC News that “One of common types we see now runs amok on the Symbian platform. These viruses work their way through the contact book, sending themselves out to every subscriber who has been called or has called that handset.”

His recommendations are to “Think twice before running any attachment from someone you don’t know, check your bill on a regular basis, and ensure your Bluetooth connection is not set in discoverable mode.”

Sources:
http://www.pcworld.com/article/152496/mobile_phone_viruses_on_the_increase.html

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7675882.stm