Close
  • Latest News
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
Read Down
Sign in
Close
Welcome!Log into your account
Forgot your password?
Read Down
Password recovery
Recover your password
Close
Search
Logo
Logo
  • Latest News
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
More
    Home Applications
    • Applications
    • Cybersecurity
    • Mobile
    • Networking

    Symbian Smartphones: 1 in 63 Infected

    By
    Roy Mark
    -
    July 29, 2009
    Share
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Linkedin

      Nearly one out of every 63 smartphones running the Symbian operating system is infected with some form of spyware, virus, worm or Trojan, as well as hundreds of unlicensed software programs installed on the handsets, according to a study conducted by SMobile Systems. A comparison of the statistics with the worldwide smartphone population places the number of infected devices globally in the millions.

      Since the vast majority of these infections are designed to be stealthy and as few smartphones posses anti-malware applications, most infected users are unaware that their devices have been compromised.

      Click here to read about the Symbian Foundation’s no-charge app store for developers.

      “As more and more people carry smartphones, the target-rich environment is proving to be incredibly tempting to hackers, spammers and criminals looking to steal vital information on these handsets,” SMobile Systems President Neil Book said in a statement. “With millions upon millions of new devices in the market, the likelihood of unwanted infection increases. The sophistication and ease of spreading malware is escalating; as such, the need for handset-based security has never been greater.”

      Book added that throughout 2009 SMobile’s Global Threat Center has seen a marked increase in the capabilities of new malware infecting mobile devices. The frequency of attacks has also increased. Threats include malware transmitted through Bluetooth, SMS (Short Message Service), MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service) or e-mail, as well as spyware that is downloaded from various online application and shareware Websites.

      “These attacks are very concerning and financially motivated. The spyware we are detecting has the ability to intercept e-mail and SMS messages, allow hackers to listen in on voice conversations and even track the location of the user,” said Daniel Hoffman, CTO of SMobile. “This can have devastating repercussions to those performing online financial transactions [or] mobile banking or having sensitive business-oriented communications. Additionally, worms are unknowingly sending premium SMS messages from infected devices, directly charging user cell phone accounts.”

      Roy Mark

      MOST POPULAR ARTICLES

      Big Data and Analytics

      Alteryx’s Suresh Vittal on the Democratization of...

      James Maguire - May 31, 2022 0
      I spoke with Suresh Vittal, Chief Product Officer at Alteryx, about the industry mega-shift toward making data analytics tools accessible to a company’s complete...
      Read more
      Cybersecurity

      Visa’s Michael Jabbara on Cybersecurity and Digital...

      James Maguire - May 17, 2022 0
      I spoke with Michael Jabbara, VP and Global Head of Fraud Services at Visa, about the cybersecurity technology used to ensure the safe transfer...
      Read more
      Applications

      Cisco’s Thimaya Subaiya on Customer Experience in...

      James Maguire - May 10, 2022 0
      I spoke with Thimaya Subaiya, SVP and GM of Global Customer Experience at Cisco, about the factors that create good customer experience – and...
      Read more
      Cloud

      IGEL CEO Jed Ayres on Edge and...

      James Maguire - June 14, 2022 0
      I spoke with Jed Ayres, CEO of IGEL, about the endpoint sector, and an open source OS for the cloud; we also spoke about...
      Read more
      Big Data and Analytics

      GoodData CEO Roman Stanek on Business Intelligence...

      James Maguire - May 4, 2022 0
      I spoke with Roman Stanek, CEO of GoodData, about business intelligence, data as a service, and the frustration that many executives have with data...
      Read more
      Logo

      eWeek has the latest technology news and analysis, buying guides, and product reviews for IT professionals and technology buyers. The site’s focus is on innovative solutions and covering in-depth technical content. eWeek stays on the cutting edge of technology news and IT trends through interviews and expert analysis. Gain insight from top innovators and thought leaders in the fields of IT, business, enterprise software, startups, and more.

      Facebook
      Linkedin
      RSS
      Twitter
      Youtube

      Advertisers

      Advertise with TechnologyAdvice on eWeek and our other IT-focused platforms.

      Advertise with Us

      Menu

      • About eWeek
      • Subscribe to our Newsletter
      • Latest News

      Our Brands

      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms
      • About
      • Contact
      • Advertise
      • Sitemap
      • California – Do Not Sell My Information

      Property of TechnologyAdvice.
      © 2022 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

      Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.

      ×