Currently, all Nokia mobile phone viruses are written in Symbian C++ and are deployed to devices as Symbian programs. Although in theory Java-based viruses are possible, they are substantially more difficult to develop and deploy, since Java applications must run in the Java Virtual Machine and must conform to strict Java security policies. Since Java applications do not have direct access to your phone's physical memory or other low-level device-native features, it is less likely that they can breach or circumvent the phone's security policies. In fact, there is no known Java virus for Nokia phones. Since Java is the only programming platform on Nokia Series 40 devices, there are no known Nokia Series 40 viruses.
Mobile viruses and Trojans must be downloaded into your phone for them to take effect. Viruses and Trojans can spread in three primary ways:
Trojan download
The malicious program can present itself as a known (or appealing) Symbian program and trick you into downloading and installing it directly. For instance, the Mosquitos Trojan virus poses as a cracked version of the popular Symbian game, Mosquitos, on certain file-sharing networks. A cracked version of a game is a version that's been illegally modified to remove the registration module, so you can play it for free. The idea is that you'll run it, thinking you are running a game, but the Trojan virus will activate when you run it. Other examples include the Dampig virus, which pretends to a cracked version of the FSCaller application, and the Skulls virus, which pretends to be a theme manager application. To prevent Trojan viruses, you just need to be careful about the sources of the programs you download. I recommend that you use only legitimate software downloaded from well-known web sites. Beyond the immediate concern of security, it also helps if you don't try to circumvent copy protection, and instead, support the developers that work hard on software you want to use.
Bluetooth
Viruses can spread over the local Bluetooth network. An infected device tries to find all Bluetooth devices in its neighborhood, all the time. Once a device is found, the infected device sends the program over to the new device. The recipient is then presented with a message to accept the incoming file and install it. The original Cabir virus spread in this way. If the recipient is not well informed or if the message is deceiving, he might just install the program. For instance, the Gavno virus presents itself as a "software patch," borrowing a familiar concept from Microsoft Windows to deceive users. Once the program is installed, it can execute itself and then start to search for nearby Bluetooth devices to spread further.
MMS
A Bluetooth-based mobile virus can infect devices only within a range of several meters. Hence, the virus can travel only as fast as the devices move, which is the speed of airplanes in modern societies. Some newer mobile phone viruses, such as the Commwarrior, can spread over MMS. The virus tries to send itself via MMS to 256 random phone numbers from your Contacts list. This can potentially allow the virus to spread at the speed of telecommunications, which means it can spread across the world in a very short period of time. And what do you do when you receive an MMS from a friend? You open it, of course. This is the same kind of social engineering that permitted so many Microsoft Outlook-based viruses to spread over the years.
Some Nokia devices' Bluetooth implementations have known security vulnerabilities that allow files to be received without user acknowledgment. If this vulnerability is exploited by a Bluetooth-based virus, it can be extremely dangerous.
Mobile viruses and Trojans must be downloaded into your phone for them to take effect. Viruses and Trojans can spread in three primary ways:
Trojan download
The malicious program can present itself as a known (or appealing) Symbian program and trick you into downloading and installing it directly. For instance, the Mosquitos Trojan virus poses as a cracked version of the popular Symbian game, Mosquitos, on certain file-sharing networks. A cracked version of a game is a version that's been illegally modified to remove the registration module, so you can play it for free. The idea is that you'll run it, thinking you are running a game, but the Trojan virus will activate when you run it. Other examples include the Dampig virus, which pretends to a cracked version of the FSCaller application, and the Skulls virus, which pretends to be a theme manager application. To prevent Trojan viruses, you just need to be careful about the sources of the programs you download. I recommend that you use only legitimate software downloaded from well-known web sites. Beyond the immediate concern of security, it also helps if you don't try to circumvent copy protection, and instead, support the developers that work hard on software you want to use.
Bluetooth
Viruses can spread over the local Bluetooth network. An infected device tries to find all Bluetooth devices in its neighborhood, all the time. Once a device is found, the infected device sends the program over to the new device. The recipient is then presented with a message to accept the incoming file and install it. The original Cabir virus spread in this way. If the recipient is not well informed or if the message is deceiving, he might just install the program. For instance, the Gavno virus presents itself as a "software patch," borrowing a familiar concept from Microsoft Windows to deceive users. Once the program is installed, it can execute itself and then start to search for nearby Bluetooth devices to spread further.
MMS
A Bluetooth-based mobile virus can infect devices only within a range of several meters. Hence, the virus can travel only as fast as the devices move, which is the speed of airplanes in modern societies. Some newer mobile phone viruses, such as the Commwarrior, can spread over MMS. The virus tries to send itself via MMS to 256 random phone numbers from your Contacts list. This can potentially allow the virus to spread at the speed of telecommunications, which means it can spread across the world in a very short period of time. And what do you do when you receive an MMS from a friend? You open it, of course. This is the same kind of social engineering that permitted so many Microsoft Outlook-based viruses to spread over the years.
Some Nokia devices' Bluetooth implementations have known security vulnerabilities that allow files to be received without user acknowledgment. If this vulnerability is exploited by a Bluetooth-based virus, it can be extremely dangerous.
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