In the era of smart phones with greater computing power, viruses or worms are increasingly becoming threats to the handsets. A Trojan was in the news last week, that is believed to be the first Trojan targeting Android-based mobile devices that racks up charges by sending text messages to premium-rate numbers. The Trojan-SMS malware was dubbed “Trojan-SMS.AndroidOS.FakePlayer.a“.
With smart phones and mobile applications gaining increasing acceptance, industry analysts predict that mobile phones are the next target for cyber criminals. With the rollout of 3G services, Internet access is going to be far easier and more efficient on even the mobile phone. It is expected that these opportunities in mobile communication will open new avenues for virus writers and hackers to attack the newer devices.
Multinational companies already offer anti-virus protection for high-end phones and PDAs. But the bulk of users (mid and low-end phone users) go without any anti-virus protection. Certain Operating Systems have free or premium virus scan applications that can be downloaded, but awareness is low.
Quick Heal, a Pune-based company, has recently launched, PC2Mobile Scan, a mobile phone virus scan. Using ‘PC2Moblie Scan Technology,’ one can easily find out whether the mobile phone has been affected by virus. Connect the mobile phone to the PC or laptop through the USB cable and scan the phone from Quick Heal Total Security 2010 installed on the PC. The mobile phones can also be scanned over Bluetooth too. Quick Heal Total Security 2010 costs Rs. 2099.
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Quick Heal Total Security 2010 completely protects your PC, Mobile Phones against malwares and data theft. It provides a safe and secure experience while you are browsing, Online Banking, Online Shopping, Chatting and playing games online. Once installed it acts as a shield against viruses, worms, trojans, spywares and other malicious threats. It also provides protection against new and unknown viruses using Quick Heal’s renowned DNA Scan technology, blocks malicious websites and prevents spam mails from reaching your mailbox. Quick Heal Total Security 2010 is very low on resource usage and gives enhanced protection without slowing down your computer.
By using ‘PC2Mobile Scan Technology‘ one can easily find out if the mobile phone has any virus infection. The mobile can be connected to the PC or laptop using USB cable and scan the phone from Quick Heal Total Security 2010 installed on the PC. If the PC or laptop is Bluetooth enabled and if the mobile phone is Bluetooth enabled, then the mobile phone can also be scanned over Bluetooth connection. The PC2Mobile Scan Technology works across mobile OS platforms and phone brands.
PC2Moblie scan feature detects all mobile platform viruses (platforms like Symbian OS, Windows Moblie OS and other Linux based mobile OS) and supports scanning of mobile phone based on Symbian operating system, Windows Operating System and also supports proprietary mobile firmware for various makes available from vendors like Sony Ericsson, Nokia, Samsung, LG, Panasonic, Motorola, O2, IMate, HP, HTC and Siemens.
Sanjay Katkar, Director and Chief Technology Officer of Quick Heal, points out that virus can infect a mobile phone in a number of ways — Internet downloads, Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) attachments, websites, emails and Bluetooth transfers, just to identify a few. Infection can appear disguised — like a game download, a ringtone, even some kind of alert. One of the recent mobile worms sent through SMS read: “A very sexy girl! Try it now!” which followed a link to an infected website that hosted a virus dropper.
There is also cross OS possibilities of virus damage. “For example, a virus designed for Symbian operating system, widely used in mobile phones, can creep into a non-Symbian OS phone. Though the virus will not be active on these non-Symbian phones, they still occupy lots of space on phone memory or memory card causing loss of space,” Mr. Katkar explains.
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