Mobile Phone Virus

Update 1: US in panic over mobile virus
(by Natalie Novak)



The US cellphone users are shocked by the news that a brand new virus was found in the country, after it hit at least a dozen countries all over the globe.

The virus, called Cabir, was found in a technology gadgets store in Santa Monica, California on Monday, when a passing techie spotted a telltale sign on the screen of a phone in the store. There were two infected cellphones in the store, both Nokia.

Cabir was invented in Philippines and began to travel around the world some time ago, having settled in at least twelve countries before it got to the US. Earlier, it already damaged so-called "smart phones" in up to a dozen countries, using Bluetooth wireless technology to spread from phone to phone.

The virus was found in at least 15 variations and continues to improve. So far it drains mobile phones batteries, said Mikko Hypponen, director of Finnish anti-virus research company F-Secure. “It’s not the end of the world,” that it was found in the US, he added.

The virus is spread in different countries through travelers that take their phones with them.

Cellphone virus threat became substantial since the technology is developing rapidly. “Skulls” virus aimed at advanced mobile phones was sent to security firms in November as so called “proof of concept.”

"This is just a new place where you have to be smart, and you have to protect yourself," said Kari Hernandez, a spokeswoman for the Bluetooth special interest group.

The responsibility for the virus was claimed by hacker Vallez at a group called 29A Labs. The group said it is aimed at creating “new, unique, interesting viruses.”