Emerging Technologies（在线收听）

Emerging Technologies

3

Mobile-phone viruses

By Stu Hutson

ValleZ has released a digital epidemic—or maybe he’s delivered an early inoculation.

ValleZ is the online handle of a 24-year-old computer programmer from Spain who, in June 2004, wrote the first malicious program targeting mobile phones, the Cabir worm. Now, security experts fear that the rush to integrate mobile phones into every aspect of our daily lives might make them the perfect carriers for digital diseases.

ValleZ is also a member of an international cabal of programmers called 29A, which specializes in malicious software, or “malware.” These “ethical hobbyists” send their creations to security labs so experts can research cures. “[Cabir] was a manner of saying that the antiviral people should be watching out for this,” says ValleZ.

Cabir spreads like an airborne disease through Bluetooth wireless connections, a popular means of transferring data at close proximity between mobile phones and other wireless devices. The mobile-phone worm’s task could be as simple as swiping your address book, or spewing out costly and annoying text message spam. Or it could mount a “denial of service” attack on your wireless-service provider by making your phone rapidly dial many numbers in succession.

As people start using their “smart” mobile phones to tap into computer networks, the damage caused by malware could grow more severe. If, as promised, mobile phones soon begin to serve as payment devices, mobile malware that nabs your identity and taps directly into your credit line could follow. Theoretically, a corporate accountant’s phone could pick up a worm and, when synced to a PC, let it loose on the company’s network, jumbling accounts.

ValleZ says he’s finished coding mobile malware—for a little while, at least. Of course, that won’t stop others from concocting their own electronic pests.

Vocabulary Focus

proximity (n) [prCk5simiti] the state of being near in space or time

spew (v) [spju:] to flow out in large amounts

theoretically (adv) [WiE5retikEli] related to a situation that has not happened or an explanation that has not been proven

Specialized Terms

handle (n) 在线昵称 a special name for someone, usually used in electronic communication

cabal (n) 秘密组织；阴谋组织 a small group of people who plan secretly to take action, especially political action

antiviral (adj) 防堵病毒的 relating to finding and destroying computer viruses

sync (v) 连接两个电子设备以便同步更新数据 to connect two electronic devices in order to make a set of information identical

新兴科技

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移动电话病毒

ValleZ 引发了一场数字瘟疫，又或者我们可以说他提供了一种早期疫苗。

ValleZ 是西班牙一名24岁计算机程序工程师的在线昵称，他于2004年6月写了首个攻击移动电话的恶意程序，名为“Cabir 蠕虫病毒”。安全专家担心，急于让手机融入日常生活各层面的风潮可能使手机成为数字疾病的最佳传播者。

V a l l e Z 同时是名为“2 9 A”这一秘而不宣的国际程序工程师集团的成员。该集团专业撰写“恶意软件”，英文简称“malware”。这群“有道德的玩家”将自己的作品寄给安全实验室，让专家研究解毒方式。ValleZ 说：“Cabir 只不过想提醒防毒人员应该注意这个病毒。”

蓝牙无线技术是手机与其它无线设备之间一种普遍使用的近距离数据传输方式，Cabir 则透过蓝牙无线连接像藉空气传染的疾病一样地蔓延。手机蠕虫病毒可以执行简单到盗取你的手机通讯簿、或清除大量发送昂贵及扰人的垃圾短信的任务，亦可藉由让手机自动快速地连续拨打多组号码，对无线业者进行“阻绝服务”攻击。

随着人们着手使用“智能型”手机连接计算机网络，恶意软件造成的损害可能更为严重。不久后，若移动电话如预期地成为付款工具，会盗用身份及信用额度的手机恶意软件就可能随后出现。理论上，公司会计师的手机可能感染病毒，一旦手机连接上个人计算机并同步更新数据，病毒便可能流窜至公司网络而扰乱账目资料。

ValleZ 说他已经停止撰写移动通讯恶意软件，至少在短期内。当然，仍然会有其它人继续研发电子病毒，这谁也阻止不了。