Unlike the rest of us who got mobile phones back in the '90s malware looks set to go mobile itself this year. Security analysts are abuzz with reports of a rising tide in malicious software designed to target phones, iPads and other mobile devices.
The growing popularity and sophistication of multi-use mobile devices like the iPhone and iPad has made them very attractive targets for hackers developing new strains of malware. Malware that is designed merely to take over a phone will often make that phone do things like call certain numbers, or send texts. However as phones have become more multi-faceted their are no exponentially more ways in which a hacker could potentially profit from remotely commandeering your mobile device.
For hackers it must feel kind of like the gold rush did. Mobile devices have become little computers this has increased their value as targets.
Your first couple of Nokias didn't do too much when you stop to think about it. They were just phones and that was kind of enough in those days.
But with Internet, phone and text all potentially vulnerable, never mind all the personal data that can be compromised, a virus on your phone is serious bizzle-dizzle.
But don't panic just yet. This is definitely one of those threats that is still in the "seeing indications" stage. Security experts are in agreement that malware and spyware threats to mobile devices are far less invasive and not nearly as widespread as malware that targets personal computers.
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