Adware / Malware: on the increase

Anti-virus firm Panda Security is reporting that Adware accounted for the most malware infections in the first quarter of 2008 – and it predicts a rise in mobile phone viruses.

Some other highlights include:

• viruses of note: SymbOS/Beselo and WinCE/InfoJack.A
• appearance of the first iPhone Trojan
• 90.34% of mobile malware targets the Symbian platform, 4.14% targets Windows Mobile, 3.35% targets Palm (NSDQ: PALM) OS, and 2.07% targets J2ME

Panda’s view is that popularity attracts malware (a fair enough statement) – but still the means by which they can reach mobile devices are more limited, due to the common barrier of the MNO’s IP network before reaching the internet, and the typically-reduced complexity of devices.

However, Panda envisages this changing with the ongoing sales of devices like the iPhone:

“Given that there’s but a single known iPhone Trojan, it’s tempting to dismiss the idea of iMalware as iFearmongering. But check back after the sale of 10 or 20 million iPhones and Panda may well have the last laugh. Where there’s a mass market, cybercriminals are sure to follow”

Hmm – is “iFearmongering” actually a word, or an example of horrific grammar abuse? I’ll let you decide

[Via: Information Week]