October 2nd, 2008
Well, I do actually worry (about mobile viruses)
In response to Kaspersky’s statement that they were concerned about mobile malware, I provided a flurry of reasons why mobile malware epidemics don’t occur today. This may not be the case in the near future, however, as changes in the handset space is making the creation of malware far more attractive.
Consumers lusting over the iPhone are driving changes in the handset space that will make the platforms far more attractive for malware authors. Over the next few years, we will see nearly every phone with high quality displays and effective browsers, running operating systems that can support third party applications. Customers will want to use these features; financial institutions, such as Bank of America, are responding by adding mobile features to their websites. Handsets that support these features are more expensive, and will end up being in use far longer, accumulating bugs along the way. And finally, the malware landscape is becoming increasingly competitive on the PC side, which will force malware authors to find fertile ground. The only piece missing is an effective monetization strategy for mobile malware (say that three times fast) that would make the labor profitable.
My thoughts about mobile malware are very similar to those about mac malware. It isn’t a problem now, but if current trends continue it will be a problem in the future. It is not a question of if, but when, and those of us who are responsible for keeping our systems and handsets clean have to be prepared.
Adam J. O'Donnell, Ph.D. is an R&D engineer who has focused on computer security since 2000. He currently is the Director of Emerging Technologies at Cloudmark, a messaging security company located in San Francisco. See his full profile and disclosure of his industry affiliations.
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