The first virus designed to infect handheld devices powered by Microsoft鈥檚 Windows CE software has renewed debate over whether a flood of mobile malicious software could be on the way.
The new virus, known as 鈥淒uts鈥�, has not as yet succeeded in infecting any computers outside of the laboratory. It was developed as a 鈥減roof of concept鈥� program by an underground group calling itself 29A. The same group created the first virus for mobile phones, Cabir, in June 2004.
Some experts say the emergence of Duts and Cabir may represent an ominous shift in virus writers鈥� interests. 鈥淭he events of the past month are really disturbing,鈥� says Eugene Kaspersky, of Russian anti-virus software company Kaspersky Labs.
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The concern is that a computer virus will eventually be released that might spread rapidly between devices that connect to mobile phone networks. For example, an estimated 17 million devices around the world run on the Windows CE operating system, including handheld computers and smartphones.
Global outbreak
鈥淭he computer underground has pounced on the new opportunities offered by mobile devices,鈥� Kaspersky adds. 鈥淎nd now malicious programs are evolving in yet another direction, bringing the first global outbreak caused by a mobile virus closer and closer.鈥�
Others however see less cause for immediate alarm. Kevin Hogan, senior manager of Symantec Security Response notes that predictions about handheld computer viruses have been around for years. 鈥淭he fact that it hasn鈥檛 happened sooner is more surprising,鈥� he told 快猫短视频. 鈥淸Duts] shows that it鈥檚 possible, but then everyone knew that.鈥�
To spread itself, the new virus buries copies of its code within normal software applications. Handheld computer users often share software, such as games, by beaming them between devices using the infrared link. Programs can also be emailed to regular PCs and then installed by connecting the devices.
Ask permission
When a user loads and runs a program infected with Duts, the virus infects all applications larger than 4 kilobytes inside found on the main program folder on the system. But it asks permission before carrying out this task, displaying a pop-up window that reads 鈥淒ear User, am I allowed to spread?鈥�.
Duts therefore employs a relatively slow and ineffective means way of spreading and is designed to be easily stopped.
The creator of the virus 鈥渉as not designed it to propagate on a massive scale, but rather to demonstrate that devices running Microsoft Windows CE can be infected by malicious code,鈥� says Viorel Canja, of BitDefender Labs in Bucharest, Romania, which issued the first alert about Duts.
