Kaspersky AV goes mobile

Stephen Withers
Monday, 26 February 2007 06:00

Business IT - Security

Despite its name, Kaspersky Anti-Virus Mobile does more than simply protect Symbian and Windows Mobile smartphones from viruses - it also helps defend users from that 21st Century scourge: SMS spam.

The anti-spam component checks SMS and MMS messages, but it is simplistic. Rather than scanning the content - as we've come to expect from anti-spam products - it performs a simple test of the originating phone number.

In 'Enable' mode, the software checks the message against a user-prepared blacklist and whitelist, then directs it appropriately. If the sender's number is in neither list, the user is asked to block or allow the message and the number is added to the appropriate list.

'B/W Lists Only' mode is similar, except that messages from unknown numbers are received automatically without user intervention or updating the lists.

The malware protection checks data received via wireless connections, contained in EMS/MMS messages, and synchronised from a PC. Features include the ability to scan individual files or folders, quarantining of infected items, and the ability to unpack .sis files.

According to Kaspersky, malware targeted at smartphones can send mass SMS or MMS messages, dial premium-rate numbers, delete or steal information stored on the phone, disable some or all of the phone's functions, send infected files to others (eg via email, WiFi or Bluetooth), or transfer malicious code to a PC upon connection.

The antivirus database can be updated via WAP or HTTP.

Kaspersky Anti-Virus Mobile is compatible with Symbian 6.x, 7.x and 8.x (Series 50, 80 or UIQ) and Windows Mobile 2003 (for Smartphones, Phone Edition) and 5.0.

A one-year subscription costs $A43.95. At the time of writing the product had not been announced in the US.