McAfee Predicts Rise in Mobile Malware, I Call Foul
SymbianWatch has an interesting article from PC Security firm McAfee regarding mobile malware and viruses. They state that while 2006 was mainly focused on malware for smartphones, given the connectivity options of even basic phones nowadays, 2007 will be the year that so-called "dumbphones" will see infections as well.
Already there are mobile malwares that can take control of a phone’s microphone and camera remotely, as well as some Trojan Horses that pose as regular browser programs that in reality send SMS messages to costly Premium Rate numbers. What’s dumb is that this doesn’t send any money to the creator, it only costs the user on their next cellphone bill.
Now, you wonder why I cry foul? Because it’s all 100% preventable with ONE easy step. And no, that step is NOT to disable all communications of your mobile phone. You can still safely use SMS, MMS, and mobile Internet. You can leave your bluetooth on all day long, even in discoverable mode if you want, with no threat. Why? Because every single mobile phone requires USER INTERACTION in order to install any of these malwares. Yes, that’s right.
We’re told that leaving your bluetooth in "discoverable" mode makes us vulnerable. But in order for a program to install and infect your device, you have to accept it. So the super-easy solution is to not accept anything on your phone (other than a phone call, of course) that you didn’t intentionally send to your phone. If you’re sitting at the airport and all of a sudden your phone asks if you want to install "Rainmaker," you should automatically know that you didn’t ask for it, and therefore, you probably don’t want it. Duh!.
I’ve 2 havnt ever gotten a virus on my symbian phone and i’ve symbian since jan. 2005 (6620) and has been virus free. Besides all u have to do is re-install/flash your phone and its all good.