BullGuard releases mobile anti-virus app
by Evan Blass 
posted Feb 15th 2006 at 5:00AM
Even though cellphone viruses
aren't a major problem right now, as more smartphones are deployed and 3G service becomes more widespread, mobiles will
become a more attractive target for malicious hackers. Therefore it's probably not a bad idea to get proactive and put
some virus protection on your phone, especially if you rock Window Mobile or Symbian, and BullGuard has just the
solution for those very same operating systems. Their Mobile Anti-virus software scans any file no matter how it gets
onto your device, be it through infrared, Bluetooth, WiFi, or cellular, and updates its definitions automatically
over-the-air. The downside here is that your purchase only gets you one year of updates- after that we assume you have
to pay a subscription fee if you don't want the app to become worthless.
Filed under: Software, Symbian, Windows Mobile
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Steve Litchfield @ Feb 15th 2006 6:23AM
Yawn, yawn. All these companies jumping on the FUD (Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt) bandwagon. Mobile viruses aren't, and never will be, a problem. Symbian OS is totally immune already (excepting user stupidity), and Windows Mobile isn't bad. Malware only ever has an effect in the warez world, where teenagers deserve everything they get.
Steve
Allan Rasmussen @ May 27th 2006 5:57AM
Yes it is “bull”
Let’s take a look at reality here.
So far no virus has been recorded that will spread to all mobile systems
Why? Because it is almost impossible due to the nature of the differences in systems used on mobile phones (J2ME, Symbian, Brew, Linux and windows).
The few viruses that we have seen has been aimed at few mostly Nokia Symbian phones and only because users would agree to install them. They don’t install themselves.
So if you get a SMS or program in Russian on your mobile, common sense will say don’t install.
The mobile phone will even ask you: This program needs to connect to the network – Allow yes or no.
The viruses we have seen have done this, sending MMS to other users from the contact list on the mobile phone. But died quickly when being send to lets say a Samsung phone not running any Symbian software.
So users with the virus have seen money wasted because the virus would connect to the network either GSM or GPRS and thereby costing airtime.
If you look at how the bullguard works it also say it updates regularly…
That means the program does the exact same thing it open and uses a network connection costing the user money when downloading new packages.
And what does it upload? What kind of info does it send?
It has to send some info like handset info, mobile number, and operator.
Now that sounds more like spyware.
But let’s do the same stuff they do at bullguard a “What if”
Let’s say I have installed the bullguard on my phone.
Some really clever guy will design a virus and send to my phone.
He will have to upload the virus somewhere.
If he wants to send it via SMS he will need a SMS provider, he wont do that because then it will be to easy to track him.
The same goes with MMS. Leaving WAP or download via opera mini (same thing)
I would then myself have to agree to go to the WAP/web site and download to my phone…and then I would again have to agree to let the program install on my phone…and then again agree to open the program myself.
So lets say this virus would then copy my contact list, easy access to that and it would then send itself to others who would also have to be huge clowns to agree to all the above.
But what will my bullguard program do about it?
Nothing for the first couple of days because it doesn’t know the new virus so the team behind bullguard would have to develop a package to deal with the virus and then send the update to users mobile phones…no matter what it will be to late for those who have already downloaded at opened the virus program.
So yes it is bull….
Mobile Phone News @ Jul 7th 2006 9:23AM
It's comforting to see anti-virus software makers paying attention these new threats.
Steph Richards @ Feb 24th 2007 1:59PM
BULL!!! This has proved to be a major problem for my new Samsung D900. I have just received my first bill after updating my Virgin Contract phone to a D900. I thought it was really cool until I got the bill. I had some strange "text received" bills for £4.50. TWO of which were received in the same minute! When I contacted Virgin, they were able to trace the charges back to...... Youve guessed it! BULLGUARD. At no time am I AWARE that I subscribed to their stuff. In fact I had never heared of it until I traced them on the internet. I have no choice but to pay the bill (over £12 in 10 mins) but BEWARE!!!!! If I have ben playing around with my new cool phone and incurred charges that I was unaware of then other people have clearly done the same. It is ironic that the D900 apears at the top of the advert of this site. I guess that the phone is preprogramed with text numbers that - at the press of a button_ some unknowing person like myself is getting ripped off with something they did not want- did not need- and can do absolutely nothing about!!!
so BEWARE if you have a SAMSUNG D900 because one press of a button could have a catastrophic effect on your phone bill- all for nothing!
WHAT A LOAD OF BULL
mueen @ Jun 13th 2007 3:37AM
please send software of antivirus for motorolla mobile free and free pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeez
Dr.abdullah @ Dec 21st 2007 2:55AM
i have samsung d900 ,accidently downloaded a virus to my cell while tryin to download dictionary from getjar.com , it cant be deleted from phone, n keeps copyin itself to pc n phones when i use bluetooth .Plz advise on handsomexmu@hotmail.com