THE first ever computer virus that can infect mobile phones has been discovered, anti-virus software developers said today, adding that up until now it has had no harmful effect.
The French unit of the Russian security software developer Kaspersky Labs said that that virus - called Cabir - appears to have been developed by an international group specialising in creating viruses which try to show "that no technology is reliable and safe from their attacks".
Cabir infects the Symbian operating system that is used in several makes of mobiles, notably the Nokia brand, and propagates through the new bluetooth wireless technology that is in several new mobile phones.
If the virus succeeds in penetrating the phone, it writes the inscription 'Caribe' on the screen and is then activated every time that the phone is turned on.
It is able to scan for phones that are also using the Bluetooth technology and is able to send a copy of itself to the first handset that it finds.
News.com article
The French unit of the Russian security software developer Kaspersky Labs said that that virus - called Cabir - appears to have been developed by an international group specialising in creating viruses which try to show "that no technology is reliable and safe from their attacks".
Cabir infects the Symbian operating system that is used in several makes of mobiles, notably the Nokia brand, and propagates through the new bluetooth wireless technology that is in several new mobile phones.
If the virus succeeds in penetrating the phone, it writes the inscription 'Caribe' on the screen and is then activated every time that the phone is turned on.
It is able to scan for phones that are also using the Bluetooth technology and is able to send a copy of itself to the first handset that it finds.
A widespread electronic attack on a company that handles traffic for some of the world's most-visited Web sites knocked several high-profile sites offline for at least 45 minutes early Tuesday.
The attack targeted Internet servers run by Cambridge, Mass.-based Akamai Technologies, which distributes and manages Web data for companies such as Microsoft Corp., Yahoo Inc., Federal Express and Xerox Corp. It also handles traffic for the FBI and washingtonpost.com.
WaPo article
The attack targeted Internet servers run by Cambridge, Mass.-based Akamai Technologies, which distributes and manages Web data for companies such as Microsoft Corp., Yahoo Inc., Federal Express and Xerox Corp. It also handles traffic for the FBI and washingtonpost.com.
I can see it coming. We're going to eventually have to go back to carrier pigeon communication.
