Another China Growth Story: Mobile Malware

Posted on March 11, 2008
Filed Under China Hackers, China Internet, Malware, Mobile |

A recent mobile-device attack was a Trojan bundled in legitimate files. The mobile-device malware sent out information about the device and shut off other forms of security on the mobile device. McAfee researchers have also seen an attack aimed at Symbian phones. A mobile-phone attack in China shut down the phone until a payment was made.

The article goes on to describe malware (malicious software such as trojans, viruses, worms, etc.) developed in China for Symbian 60 phones (Nokia) and Windows Mobile phones. The Symbian malware attempts to extort mobile phone recharge minutes while the Windows Mobile malware shuts down the phone’s security functions.

This is a slowly growing trend as more mobile users in China adopt smartphones. There really isn’t a good definition of “smartphone”, but essentially it’s a mobile capable of running complex and relatively powerful applications. Amongst richer people in richer parts of China they’re already commonplace. Most vendors of endpoint security solutions, domestic and international, now sell some form of security products for them.

China is the world’s largest mobile market, although I’m not sure how big the smartphone market is. There are endless market analyst reports predicting massive adoption over the next few years. Many of those will be Linux-based (the Motorola Ming is already popular). Linux isn’t quite the malware target as other endpoint operating systems, but that’s sure to change. With widespread smartphone use (Linux or otherwise), the increasingly sensitive information (financial and emerging point of sale) stored and accessed by them, and the growth of commercial hacking, China will be a worldwide leader in mobile malware sooner rather than later.