Mobile Phone Viruses, Simple Measures to Protect Yourself!

What’s a mobile phone virus?

A mobile phone virus or mobile malware - malicious mobile software - is a computer virus specifically adapted for the mobile phone environment and designed to spread from one vulnerable phone to another. A virus is a program code that replicates by being copied to another program.

Viruses can be transmitted as attachments to an email or in a download file. Some viruses take effect as soon as their code is executed; other viruses can lie dormant. A virus that
replicates by resending itself as an email attachment or as a part of a network message is known as a worm. Viruses can
range from benign to quite harmful; they can erase data from the infected phone or
send fake messages purporting to be from the phones owner.

*) How prevalent are mobile phone viruses?

The current security risk from mobile phone viruses and
worms is low. Until many more smart phones or PDAs are in
use, and users of these phones are regularly exchanging
executable files, the risk will remain low. The mobile industry takes the threat of
viruses very seriously and is continually monitoring its networks and working to protect users from any future
risk from mobile phone viruses.

There are also some simple measures that individual users can implement to protect
themselves.

*) What can I do to protect my phone?

The following tips can help prevent problems with viruses
on your phone:

1. Switch to Bluetooth hidden mode. If your phone has Bluetooth capability, ensure
that the Bluetooth capability is switched to hidden or invisible
mode unless you specifically need it to be visible. This will
help prevent other Bluetooth enabled devices from finding
your phone (unless you grant them the necessary permission) and will therefore
help protect your phone from worms that spread using the
Bluetooth wireless technology.

2. Exercise caution before opening attachments. When
accepting applications sent via Bluetooth, or opening MMS attachments, exercise caution, just as you would when opening an email attachment
on your PC, because they may include harmful software.
Ensure the application or attachment comes from a known source, and is wary of opening files that have unfamiliar text attached to them, even if they come from someone you know.

3. Only download content from a trusted source. Trusted sources may include operator portals and other well-known
brands that offer adequate protection against viruses and
other harmful software. Be aware though that, as with
emails, malicious or fraudulent users may be able to fake the
appearance of a trusted source.

4. Consider anti-virus software. Some software is available to prevent phone viruses. You may wish to consider downloading this software.

5. Contact your phone
manufacturer if concerned. If you think you have a virus, call the phone manufacturer’s care
line. They can assist you confirm if it is a virus, and help fix the problem.