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The state of viruses on modern mobile phones |
max_wedge
Joined: Aug 29, 2004
Posts: > 500
From: Australia
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There are only a couple of mobile viruses in the wild
These viruses are generally only able to attack s60 devices, and as far as I know modern s60 versions are no longer susceptible to those old viruses. Infact they have probably died out due to lack of enough infectable handsets to propogate via.
Also, these viruses rely on the end user having bluetooth in discoverable mode, to also click "install" when they receive the virus over bluetooth, before infection is possible.
I once received a copy of the cabir virus over bluetooth, I obviously refused to install it.
A new Android virus has also been discovered in Russia, but only infects russian handsets: http://www.theoldergamers.com[....]ends-costly-text-messages.html
Also this link lists the old viruses that are mostly defunct now - cabir, commwarrior (s60) and redbrowser (j2me from memory) http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-mobile-phone-virus.htm All of which relied on bluetooth
Here are a list of winmobile viruses
http://www.informit.com/articles/article.aspx?p=337069 (proof of concept only - not in the wild)
http://www.avertlabs.com/rese[....]-and-leaves-device-vulnerable/ (Chinese only so far - can spread via memory cards if the card is swapped to another winmobile device - the propogation website for this virus has been taken down by Chinese authorities)
http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Secu[....]ws-Mobile-Applications-424076/ (The games 3D Anti-Terrorist and PDA Poker Art have been found to be packaged with a virus)
And here's an iphone virus but will infect jailbroken iphones with default root password:
http://www.intomobile.com/200[....]et-hit-with-first-iphone-worm/
(The root password is alpine - which also gives you ssh access even in a non-infected jailbroken iphone - so warnign to anyone with a jailbroken iphone - change the default root password)
[ This Message was edited by: max_wedge on 2010-09-13 00:32 ] |
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gayannr
Joined: Jun 23, 2008
Posts: 499
From: Sri Lanka
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Good information, Thanks 
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max_wedge
Joined: Aug 29, 2004
Posts: > 500
From: Australia
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Here are a list of winmobile viruses
http://www.informit.com/articles/article.aspx?p=337069 (proof of concept only - not in the wild)
http://www.avertlabs.com/rese[....]-and-leaves-device-vulnerable/ (Chinese only so far - can spread via memory cards if the card is swapped to another winmobile device - the propogation website for this virus has been taken down by Chinese authorities)
http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Secu[....]ws-Mobile-Applications-424076/ (The games 3D Anti-Terrorist and PDA Poker Art have been found to be packaged with a virus)
And here's an iphone virus but will infect jailbroken iphones with default root password:
http://www.intomobile.com/200[....]et-hit-with-first-iphone-worm/
(The root password is alpine - which also gives you ssh access even in a non-infected jailbroken iphone - so warnign to anyone with a jailbroken iphone - change the default root password)
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max_wedge
Joined: Aug 29, 2004
Posts: > 500
From: Australia
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This article has a reference to our very own ajack, correctly crediting him with the invention of "bluejacking", and also making it clear that bluejacking is generally benign compared to bluesnarfing which involves taking over another persons phone.
http://www.techquark.com/2010[....]obile-phone-viruses-other.html
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mriley
Joined: Oct 03, 2009
Posts: > 500
From: UK
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Thanks for the info  I still hear a lot of people getting scared there might be viruses in text messages, is that true?
Esato's Newbie of the year and Most Helpful Member 2010!  ------------------- Life is just a ride, enjoy it while you can |
max_wedge
Joined: Aug 29, 2004
Posts: > 500
From: Australia
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Not strictly speaking but there could be a link to a virus or infected website. Also, theoretically, internet settings can be sent via text message, so a compromised proxy setting could be contained in the text. In this case though you would get a prompt asking if you want to install the settings. So not possible to get a virus just from receiving the message - but possibly if you act on any instructions the text contains.
Reminds me of the fools virus: You receive a text and it says "forward this message to all your contacts, then delete everything on your phone"  Technically it's a virus utilising social engineering to release the payload, but someone would have to be pretty naive to act on it!!
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jeffcua
Joined: Mar 19, 2010
Posts: 357
From: davao city/phillippines
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good informayion..thankz max..
SEK550i-k810i/operamini6.1handler  you can win if you want |
redifmail
Joined: Jul 14, 2011
Posts: 6
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thanks for info............ |
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Posted: 2010-09-09 12:09
you can win if you want
