By George Yazbek, Strategic Marketing Director, Jinny Software

Mobile phone spam and viruses are a significant threat. Interoperability between mobile phones and other devices brings with it many advantages, but by deploying an open model the door has been opened to communication with many sources, including web portals, which allows email-to-SMS or MMS traffic. This interoperability is good news, but it also brings with it the very real dangers of spam and virus attacks.

As mobile phones become smarter and the use of data, multimedia and file sharing with PCs becomes widespread, all forms of PC malware will cross over into the mobile world: e.g. trojans, viruses, spam and phishing. The proliferation of standard operating systems, such as Symbian and Windows Mobile, as well as always-on IP connections will, technically, make the spread of malware easier. The need for operators to develop effective AS/AV strategies is, therefore, paramount to the continued successful operation of any mobile network.

"SMS can account for as much as 90% of an operator’s data revenue, and those operators which fail to address spam for fear of losing ill-gained revenues, risk greater losses as subscribers lose confidence in their SMS and end up churning."

Currently, the single biggest cause of revenue loss for mobile operators and service providers is fraud, which in many cases relies on spam SMSs to succeed. Known as Scam, fraudulent SMS messages encourage subscribers to make premium rate calls, send texts to premium rate services, or to give away personal details. In some countries, SMS can account for as much as 90% of an operator’s data revenue, and those operators which fail to address spam for fear of losing ill-gained revenues, risk greater losses as subscribers lose confidence in their SMS and end up churning. The ITU states that more than 80% cent of phone users, globally, have received unsolicited text messages, so the problem is very real.

As for viruses, the first mobile phone viruses were detected in 2004, with reports during 2005, indicating that MMS-spread viruses, a network-propagated mode of attack, were now emerging. One of these was the Commwarrior.B virus, which spread from one handset to another. It showed up as an attachment to an MMS message or was received via Bluetooth. When the virus reached a phone, it attempted to spread by scanning for devices with Bluetooth and trying to send itself to them, as well as sending MMS messages to phone numbers in the phone's contact list. In the same year, various other viruses around the globe were identified with IDG reporting that 1,000 vulnerabilities across the mobile domain existed, which could be exploited by such malware.

Network protection

There are two approaches for spam and virus protection: network-based and device-based. Many versions and releases of anti-virus (AV) software for Symbian and Windows phones are available with such products typically working like any other AV software, i.e. spotting mobile threats by using signatures developed by the AV software houses.

AV software can protect mobile devices from new threats in real-time, by blocking malicious codes from gaining access to software installed on mobile devices. Users can also scan storage devices inserted into supported phones, or initiate an AV scan of their mobile device manually. What’s more, latest AV signatures can be uploaded to mobile devices via GPRS, so a degree of protection is under the user’s control.

"Jinny Software believes that spam solutions should be network based, allowing mobile operators to control the provision of security and maintain quality of service in the face of emerging mobile spam threats."

Unlike the AV situation, no device-based anti-spam solutions are in use, nor are they likely to be appropriate to counter this different threat. Jinny Software believes that spam solutions should be network based, allowing mobile operators to control the provision of security and maintain quality of service in the face of emerging mobile spam threats. A device-based anti-spam solution would be very cumbersome and, if this were the main line of defence, it would also mean that network resources would already have been consumed if the unwanted message were allowed to arrive at the end-user’s phone.

Deploying network-edge controls for messaging and mobile content is a first step to establishing network protection measures against spam and virus attacks. The second step is a layer of content filtering applications, protecting for viruses, adult content, spam and other threats that may slip by the edge filters. Finally, providing end-users with the ability to set personal preferences and utilise tools for the management of spam- or virus-infected content, should be an essential part of any network’s anti-spam/AV strategy.

To date, it would seem that there has been no general recognition that there is a need for a content protection device that is as important as that provided in other network nodes such as the SMSC and the MMSC. Currently, most operators appear to be acting reactively, using whatever tools they have to intercept spam: e.g. stopping all traffic from a certain network, or shutting down service providers that breach terms of contracts, to name just two reactions. Some enlightened operators, however, already have anti-spam devices or mechanisms in their messaging boxes (SMSC/MMSC) and are adopting a proactive approach to spam and virus control.

What now?

In the future, all forms of malware will become more prominent in the mobile world. This will be encouraged by the increased use of such things as always-connected IP phones and, of course, incentives to make money from the mobile user. Increasing use of premium-rate connections and phishing attacks offer revenues not available over the Internet, but this also offers an ideal route in for malware attacks.

Jinny Software is at the forefront of the important and growing area of messaging AV / AS solutions and strategies. The company believes that any AV or AS solutions must be predominantly network based, as protection will be more efficient and comprehensive and mobile operators will be able to provide an optimum level of security and quality of service to their subscribers. The latest version of Jinny’s Filtering Engine, which blocks spam and assists subscribers in personalising their messaging and multimedia content experience, as well as allowing operators to convert off-network traffic into potential revenue streams, is testimony to the company’s dedication to solve this most pressing industry requirement.

George Yazbek can be contacted on info@jinny.ie.