Mobile phone virus and malware

There are many more virus programs infecting PCs than mobile phones, but there are many more ways of getting virus programs into mobile phones than into PCs. Cell phones can get virus infections and malware programs from SMS/MMS messages, downloaded mobile apps, memory sticks, from PCs, bluetooth connections, email and web surfing. Despite these vulnerable points, there has not been a major mobile phone virus attack yet, because of the multiple types of operating systems. A virus program is written for a particular type of operating system, thus a virus on a symbian mobile will not infect an iPhone. As of now the mobile phone market has multiple operating systems, like the iPhone OS, Windows Mobile, Symbian, Google Android, and Palm Web OS.



Virus and malware contained in messages are usually filtered by the network operator but mobile phone virus security software is essential for complete protection. McAfee, Trend Micro, Kaspersky, SMobile, FortiGuard and FSecure all provide security software for mobile phones. Prevention is better than cure; so don't click on erotic/celebrtiy links contained in messages. A virus program can send out multiple messages from an infected phone quickly inflating the bill or drain the mobile phone's battery. In the future more dangerous viruses may use an infected phone to launch attacks on the network.