Mobilizing Against Wireless Viruses

And some security experts worry that as cell phones increasingly become mobile data devices, hackers will have a greater reason to try their hand at sowing wireless havoc.

For example, some telecommunication service providers and financial institutions in Asia and Europe are transforming mobile phones into electronic "wallets" capable of wirelessly paying for goods and services bought online or at local retailers.

"Obviously, there's not a big reason for attacking cell phones yet because of lack of motive," says Mark Rasch, senior vice president and chief security consultant at Solutionary, a electronic security company in Omaha, Neb. But, he continues, "when you can attack electronic payment systems or things linked to it, that's a huge financial incentive for hackers to create more and better wireless viruses and worms."

Steps to Securing Cells

While the prospect of mobile bugs chipping away at wireless users' security and privacy may seem daunting, the good news is that service providers and security companies are already trying to tighten up wireless security.

Symantec, for instance, has been working with Finnish handset maker Nokia to develop security software for its high-end smart phones such as its Nokia Communicator. It has also developed antivirus software products specifically geared for handheld devices. But Symantec's Ekram admits there's still a long way to go.

"The wireless market is fragmented and there are devices that are controlled and [use] proprietary software and networks," says Ekram. "We are in discussions with a number of cell-phone makers and will continue to work with other manufacturers to cover more devices."

Last week, security software maker McAfee announced that it will provide a wireless protection solution for Japanese cellular service provider NTT DoCoMo. Its VirusScan Content Scanning technology is software embedded on so-called third generation, or 3G, cell phones. The antivirus software works in conjunction with software installed on DoCoMo's wireless network so the program is always watching and protecting against the latest security threat.