Smartphone malware takes off

Johannesburg, 31 Mar 2009

Although smartphones have increased the pace of day-to-day business, they have also made users more vulnerable to viruses, worms and Trojans.

So says Costin Raiu, chief security expert and head of Kaspersky Lab's Viruslab for Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa. “While current threat levels remain significantly lower than PCs and desktops, these devices are not immune to attacks. Mobile malware remains a hot topic in security circles, and with good reason,” he adds.

He says the most recent malware samples suggest the steady stream of threats will soon become a flood. More than 500 viruses and other types of malware targeting smartphones have been identified and Kaspersky Lab finds about 10 new mobile threats each week.

Protect that information

“Sensitive information, such as personal, customer and supplier data residing on smartphones, can contain credit card numbers or bank account numbers, all of which have significant monetary values attached to them in the world of online crime,” he adds.

Raiu says the devices sit at the confluence of several trends, making them the next major malware frontier. Moreover, smartphones are routinely used to perform confidential tasks, such as banking and storing private data, offering potential revenue streams for cybercrooks.

Something else to consider is that infections can now spread throughout an organisation faster, because enterprises have started to standardise their mobile platforms, he notes.

He says workforce mobility is growing, leading to the proliferation of smartphones throughout the world. Another trend is that the current generation of smartphones is sophisticated enough to have become integral to the conducting of business online.

Corporate risks

“The situation is even more acute for corporate networks since mobile workers regularly have to access sensitive data on corporate networks from outside the enterprise firewall. Potential infection rates are higher than before, because the devices now make use of Bluetooth and WiFi links, as well as high-speed 3G cellular wireless networks.”

According to Raiu, these converging trends make smartphones appealing targets and the evidence suggests mobile malware is becoming extremely lucrative.

The effects of mobile malware vary from making the device completely unusable, while the worm remains installed, to using the device to make unauthorised calls, or to sending SMS messages to premium-rate numbers, he explains. “Kaspersky also sees information theft 'crimeware' that allows the malware author to steal confidential data stored on a mobile device.”

To remain protected, it is vital for each device to have an anti-virus scanner, anti-spam protection, and a firewall, together with an anti-theft solution that can track the stolen device even after the SIM card has been changed, he notes.