Mobile malware to pose significant threat

San Francisco (InfoWorld) - Although concerns regarding handheld data security still trump fears of mobile viruses, security software vendors and researchers contend that greater numbers of attacks are on the horizon.

Thus far, most malware programs targeting wireless devices have been proof-of-concept threats or have required large amounts of end-user interaction to deliver their payloads, but experts contend that malware writers are unquestionably ramping up their efforts in the space.

As part of its semiannual Internet Security Report, published March 19, researchers at Symantec cited mobile threats -- specifically those that use wireless messaging systems to lure end-users to poisoned URLs -- as a growing concern for 2007.

In 2006, mobile threats of note included the Mobispy attack, the first known handheld spyware program tracked by security researchers.