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WirelessDevNet.com Press Release
The Cabir worm threatens cell phone security
06/15/2004. This malicious code spreads to devices that run under Symbian OS, including many mobile phones
PandaLabs has identified Cabir, the first worm capable of spreading to cell phones. This malicious code affects those devices that use the Symbian OS operating system, used in many models of phone including some manufactured by Nokia, Siemens and Sony Ericcson
The creators of Cabir haven’t designed the worm to propagate massively, but have used it as a trial to demonstrate that these kinds of devices can be infected by malicious code.
Cabir spreads in a file called Caribe.sis, which installs itself automatically on the system when the user accepts the transmission. It displays a message on the screen with the text: Caribe and then starts a continuous search for other devices to send itself to, although these must be connected via Bluetooth technology. The process radically affects that charge of the battery in the device.
On the other hand, it is possible that the Caribe.sis file copies itself to other devices using Bluetooth –such as some printers-, even though they don’t use the operating system mentioned above. In these cases however, the worm would not be able to spread further.
According to Luis Corrons, head of PandaLabs: “It was foreseeable that Cabir would appear. This is another consequence of the spectacular advances made in mobile communication technology in recent years. This particular case is just a trial but could open the door to new viruses which could become a serious blight for cell phone users”.
The emergence of Cabir is the start of a new era for IT security the implications of which will be felt beyond the world of computers. “From now on, when buying cell phones and mobile devices, users will have to look at more than just functionality and also consider the security systems that they have,” explains Corrons.
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