Australia Freaks Out Over Cell Phone Virus

[The_root_of_all_evil]

Australia Freaks Out Over Cell Phone Virus

The Australian press is having a meltdown over a virus that can infect your cell phone, but don't worry - you don't need to head for the Vault just yet.

Last week, Kapersky Labs [http://www.kaspersky.com/] reported that there was a small Python [http://www.python.org/] script capable of removing SMS credit from phones, by making short SMS text messages.

Being one of the first trojans on a mobile is quite interesting, but the Australian press took it a little too seriously. The Couriermail [http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,20797,24974954-952,00.html?from=public_rss] led with:

A MOBILE virus that commands phones to text premium services set up by cyber criminals is on its way to Australia - and one call can spread the virus.

While anyone in IT would question how one call could spread a virus, The Daily Telegraph [http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,24975113-5001028,00.html?from=public_rss] bolsters it by saying:

The virus code, written for the Symbian operating system used by most mobiles, secretly texts a premium number run by cyber criminals.

Now, before you start stockpiling canned goods and ammo, there are a few things to keep in mind. This infection can only happen if the user has already installed a Python interpreter (if you don't know what that is, then be assured that you haven't installed one), agrees to install the unknown application, and then agrees for that application may send a text message to the "cyber-criminal's" number, draining you of maybe 45 cents, and revealing their number.

However, if you are even slightly worried, Kapersky has coincidentally made the patch free on the Barclays website. [http://barclays.mobi/]

But in these days of Michael Atkinson's [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/88986-Australias-Atkinson-OK-With-Restricting-Adult-Liberties] doom-mongering, it's refreshing to know that some people still don't have a clue.

Source: The Register [http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/01/28/kaspersky_symbian_trojan/]

Permalink

 

[thiosk]

Its not just australia.

Every "news" paper freaks out over pointless things. Would you read an article about a cellphone virus that doesn't do anything? We have to sell papers, dammit!

Proof? Videogame violence, Brittney Spears, Global Warming.

All of it is garbage

 

[milomalo]

Its not just australia.

Every "news" paper freaks out over pointless things. Would you read an article about a cellphone virus that doesn't do anything? We have to sell papers, dammit!

Proof? Videogame violence, Brittney Spears, Global Warming.

All of it is garbage

not the global warming...

 

[uppitycracker]

ZOMG CELL FONE VIRUS!!!! /stocks up on canned food and ammo



...... oh, that's it? Bah.

But serious though, thiosk is right. That's all the news is these days, just another subject getting blown out of proportion to scare the masses, so they can maintain their ratings/sales. Gotta keep people on the edge of their seat, so they'll come back like the sheep they are, to catch the latest new danger to society. This is why I don't own a TV.

 

[thenumberthirteen]

It's finally happened. Python has overthrown its masters is destroying civilisation by stealing out phone credit. They laughed at me when I said this day would come, but whoo's laughing now?! Soon Java will join them and the mobile world will be ruined. At least we can always rely on Visual Basic to stick by our side.

 

[bitzi61]

At least we can always rely on Visual Basic to stick by our side.

Well.. thats only because Visual Basic could never acheieve a 'smart' AI on it's own.. no amount of evolution could allow that! LOL!

 

[BobisOnlyBob]

Global Warming

Careful now, that's still hotly debated by scientists, politicians, and common man alike. I'm not on either "side" - I see the arguments for and against, and I see a lot of hidden motivations on both sides too. Don't go painting the topic with the same broad brush the panic-ready newspapers do.