INTRODUCTION-THE CELLULAR WORLD:-
Mobile phones are the fastest spreading wireless phones. Mobile phones have all the technologies of the Modern World. They have zoom lenses for pictures and QuickTime videos, they have high resolution color screens, wireless data access for laptops, they play MP3s, send emails, and even sync calendar and address book wirelessly with computers. With Bluetooth, WAP, and mobile browsers, these have become tiny computers with far more power beyond our imaginations. The worldwide market for mobile phones are still growing at a phenomenal rate of 32% in 2004 and an estimated 1.5 billion people (or 1/4th of the World’s population) are already owning a mobile phone.
Mobile Virus Threats:-
With computing power come security weaknesses, viruses and worms. The first mobile phone virus appeared in June 2004 for the Symbian OS but it proved to be relatively harmless. The History of cell phone virus starts with Cabir (Caribe). ValleZ had released a Digital Epidemic rather he’s delivered an early inoculation. ValleZ is the online handle of a 24-year-old computer programmer from Spain who, last June, wrote the first malicious program targeting cellular phones, the Cabir worm. ValleZ is a member of an international cabal of programmers which specializes in maliciuos softwares or ’’malware’’. Now, everywhere, bad guys are spinning off new versions that are melded with other malware that locks up phones or autodials obscure numbers. Another, completely new and more virulent mobile virus, CommWarrior found in late February. It sends out costly multimedia messages but contains so many bugs that it doesn’t pose a major threat.
Some of the very common Mobile Viruses:-
• June 14, 2004 :- The first cell virus, Cabir was found which can spread only over Bluetooth.
• August 11, 2004 :- Mquito was discovered which sends SMS messages to premium rate number.
• November 19, 2004 :- Skulls was discovered that replaces all application icons with picture of skull and cross bones and none of the higher level aplications of cell phone will be able to start.
• December 22, 2004 :- MGDropper was discovered.
• January 10, 2005 :- Locknut (alias Gavno) discovered.
• March 7, 2005 :- Commwarrior is the first cell phone virus that can replicate itself over MMS by sending MMS messages to other users.
• March 8, 2005 :- Dampig was discovered which disables some system applications and it cannot be uninstalled without being disinfected first.
• March 21, 2005 :- Drever was discovered. Drever disables some cell phones antivirus programs.
• April 4, 2005 :- Mabir spreads through Bluetooth and MMS.
• April 6, 2005 :- Fontal can destroy all data.
• In the beginning of May 2005, the Cabir virus has been sighted in 20 countries.
• Other possible threats include Trojan horses in games, screensavers and other applications, resulting in false billing, unwanted disclosure of stored information, and deleted, corrupted, modified or stolen user data. Similar applications can also be used for eavesdropping and unauthorized access to corporate networks.
How will one know if any virus is in the mobile phone or not?
Viruses are difficult to detect without an antivirus application. When an automatic antivirus application, such as F-Secure Mobile Anti-Virus, is installed in the phone, it will detect and quarantine viruses immediately when they enter the device.
Tips for Cell Phone Users - Precautions:-
To prevent infection of your cell phone the following precautions should be taken:
• 1. Get accustomed to disable bluetooth if you don’t use it.
This will not only decrease probability of being infected over bluetooth but it also saves the battery of your cell phone, because bluetooth consumes a lot of batery power.
• 2. If bluetooth is on and you are receiving file be REALLY careful!
It means - accept via bluetooth ONLY files you are expecting. NEVER accept the files you do not expect.
• 3. Never download cell phone applications from file sharing networks.
• 4. NEVER install any UNEXPECTED application received by MMS message from ANY senders (including your friends!)
• 5. Install an antivirus software for cell phones.
CONCLUSION:-
It is an unfortunate fact that there are plenty of people who would like to become famous as the creator of the first real widely spread virus for handheld devices. Mr. Sal Viveros, director of Wireless Security of McAfee said, ’’the risk of a mobile virus infecting thousands was growing as mobile devices became more sophisticated.’’ He also added that ’’most people do not realise that these devices are going to be more like a computer than a telephone.’’ An outbreak involving hoax e-mails and instant messages could strike millions of people very quickly. According to the anti-virus software developer F-Secure, the discovery of Cabir is a proof that the technologies are now available to create viruses for mobile phones and that they are known to the writers of computer viruses. If the outburst reached the severity, it could cost telecommunications firms billions to clean up the mess.