The Enterprise Security Supersite
NewsFactor Network Sites:   NewsFactor.com Security CRM Business Sci-Tech Newsletters XML/RSS Feed  
   
Home Network Security Viruses & Malware Spam & Hackers Security Products More Topics...
Network Security
Average Rating:
Rate this article:  
Security Researchers Discover iPod Virus Security Researchers Discover iPod Virus
By Elizabeth Millard
April 9, 2007 9:04AM

Bookmark and Share
Podloso, the iPod virus discovered by security researchers at Kaspersky Lab, is not likely to become a real threat in the near future; the Podloso virus not only affects iPods only running Linux, but also does not copy itself automatically from one iPod to another. Users would have to install the Podloso virus manually to another iPod.
 


Researchers at security firm Kaspersky Lab have discovered a virus that can infect Apple's popular portable media player, the iPod. But users do not have to scramble for protection just yet. The virus would only affect players that run Linux Relevant Products/Services instead of the iPod's native operating system Relevant Products/Services.

Currently, Linux-fueled iPods are a very small minority because they require users to do the system swap. The malicious program, called Podloso, might not present a real threat, but Kaspersky noted that it does demonstrate that it is theoretically possible to create malicious programs for devices such as the iPod.

Podloso is a typical "proof-of-concept" virus, which is created in order to demonstrate that it is possible to infect a specific platform. Although some users might find it odd that security researchers would ever whip up a virus, the type of concept code developed by Kaspersky is very common, and considered a preventative measure against future threats.

Concept Driven

Some concept code is prescient of new attacks. For example, the first proof-of-concept viruses for mobile phones began appearing a few years ago, and now there are several hundred phone viruses that exist.

But Podloso is not likely to become a real threat in the near future, security analysts have noted. The Podloso virus only affects iPods running Linux, and it does not copy Relevant Products/Services itself automatically from one iPod to another. Users would have to install the virus manually to another iPod, and the virus does not spread from the devices to PCs.

However, Ron O'Brien, senior security analyst at security firm Sophos, said that with the increasing popularity of media players such as the iPod, as well as smart phones and PDAs, there are likely to be more threats geared toward these devices in the future.

Even USB drives are subject to infection. They can have a virus embedded into their system that launches when a user plugs them in.

Plug and Play

"People tend to forget any type of mobile device can contain malware, even the USB you got at a trade show," he said. "Users tend to see them just as a storage Relevant Products/Services device, and plug them in without scanning for malware."

With the iPod, it should become a fairly standard procedure for a computer to scan Relevant Products/Services the device before using it to make sure it has not been infected. O'Brien noted that even though the recent iPod issue affects a very small number of users, and is not spreading, it is simply a good security practice to scan all devices when they are first attached to a computer.

"These security practices are recommended for any peripheral device, even CDs and external hard drives," he said. "It's better to be overcautious than get hit with malware."


Editor's note: The original version of this story stated that researchers at Kaspersky Lab created the Podloso virus, rather than discovering it. The story above has been modified to reflect this correction.
 
Tell Us What You Think
Your Comment:



Advertisement


 Network Security
1.   China Cyberattacks: Pervasive Threat
2.   Patch Tuesday Will Tie MS Record
3.   Cybersecurity Appears Hot for 2010
4.   EPIC Objects To Google-NSA Ties
5.   Torrent Traps Used To Harvest Logins


advertisement
EPIC Objects To Google-NSA TiesEPIC Objects To Google-NSA Ties
Cyberattack meant to rattle Google?
Average Rating:
Torrent Traps Used To Harvest LoginsTorrent Traps Used To Harvest Logins
Web sites sold with backdoor access.
Average Rating:
Social Networks: A Hacker's DelightSocial Networks: A Hacker's Delight
Workers urged to be 'trained skeptics.'
Average Rating:
Product Information and Resources for Technology You Can Use To Boost Your Business

Mobile Enterprise Spotlight
Analysts See iPad Price Drop, with Some Cannibalization
Just weeks before Apple officially rolls out the iPad, financial analysts are making pricing predictions. But could the analysis itself hinder the initial demand for the pricey tablet computer?
 
Bar Codes Go Mobile, Get Hip Again
For decades, retailers have used patterns of black dots and lines to encode data onto products. Now, bar codes are gaining favor as an easy way for cell-phone users to view ads and other data instantly.
 
'Dead Simple, Dirt Cheap' JooJoo Tablet Shipping Soon
The JooJoo, a web-browsing tablet device that is the subject of a high-profile legal dispute, appears on track to reach buyers at the end of February, but the tablet scene has dramatically changed.
 

Navigation
Enterprise Security Today
Home/Top News | Network Security | Viruses & Malware | Spam & Hackers | Security Products | Mobile Security | Windows Security | Data Security
EST Press Releases
NewsFactor Network Enterprise I.T. Sites
NewsFactor Technology News | Enterprise Security Today | CRM Daily

NewsFactor Business and Innovation Sites
Sci-Tech Today | NewsFactor Business Report

NewsFactor Services
FreeNewsFeed | Free Newsletters | Free Whitepapers | XML/RSS Feed

About NewsFactor Network | How To Contact Us | Article Reprints | Careers @ NewsFactor | Services for PR Pros | Top Tech Wire | How To Advertise

Privacy Policy | Terms of Service
© Copyright 2000-2010 NewsFactor Network. All rights reserved. Article rating technology by Blogowogo.