Worms
As mobile phone software becomes more technical and widespread, unfortunately so does it’s vulnerabilities to security threats. Threats come from a variety of attacks, which include; identity theft, personal information theft, harassment and software attacks such as worms. Worms or viruses have caused serious problems for computer users over the years, which has seen a whole new industry evolve, the security software industry.
The next major security threat that will be widely recognised amongst mobile phone users will be viruses. Taylor (2004) ‘It was, said the security experts, just a matter of time before mobile phones - and smartphones in particular - became the target for spammers, virus writers and all manner of other nasties’.
At this stage only 1 worm has been detected amongst mobile phones; the cabir worm. BIERSDORFER (2004) said ‘Kaspersky Labs, a Moscow-based antivirus software company, announced its discovery of the worm on June 14. "We got sent this thing anonymously, as sometimes happens," said David Emm, a senior technology consultant in Kaspersky Labs' regional office near Oxford, England. Mr. Emm said that virus authors often send copies of their creations to antivirus companies to prove what they can do. Although the cabir worm is not seen as a major threat, it is certain mobile phones will be targeted by virus writers in the near future. The cabir worm is just a hint at what hackers are planning, and capable of for the mobile industry.
Mobile Fraud
Reeve (2003: 29) ‘As online technology continues to become more pervasive, supporting PDAs, laptops, mobile phones and PCs, we are now beginning to see the tip of the iceberg for damage that cyber criminals can create. New mobile buying methods will cater to impulse and last-minute purchasers, as well as traditional buyers who will not only be buying goods but booking tickets and managing financial accounts and transactions’. The mobile phone market is an extremely attractive place for criminals; it allows the attacker to undertake their fraud or theft from a hidden or almost invisible location. With the aid of Bluetooth their attacks will or have become remote, therefore less risk, which is sure to make many security experts very nervous.
See also:
Reference List
BIERSDORFER, J (24/6/2004) 'Worms Like Wireless Phones, Too', New York Times, [Online]. Available: http://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/24/technology/circuits/24viru.html?ei=5070&en=80741aeb3d6104c6&ex=1091592000&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1091491524-xsoWax/eO934NSoRSoeC0w
Brewin, B. (2004) ‘Security Threats raise concerns about Bluetooth’, Computer World [Online], vol 38, no.19, p1. Available: Academic Search Elite, 13459085 [Accessed 25/10/04.
Reeve, P. (2003). ‘Curbing online identity theft and fraud’, Wireless Week [Online], vol. 9, no. 3, p29. Available: Proquest 283177171. [Accessed 24/10/04]
Taylor, P. (2004). Bitter taste of things to come MOBILE PHONE SECURITY: Hackers are worming their way into the wireless world, but at least Cabir was benign. Financial Times. P3. [Online] Available: Proquest. 659564601. [Accessed 24/10/04].
--benhenzell 09:51, 29 Oct 2004 (EST)
