MUMBAI:
Smart-phone users downloading games and files from unauthorised sites may run up huge bills
Peril lurks
Kaspersky lab expert Denis
Masllenikov has said in a report that the game file is actually a Trojan that
calls premium rate numbers across the globe
The Trojan has been mode by Russian virus writers. Once installed, it launches itself
The smart phones infected with the Trojan will run up huge bills as the Trojan will be dialling up premium rate numbers
Downloading a free game can lead to huge mobile phone bills. With
smartphones that run on the Windows (
HTC,Blackberry) and
symbian (
Nokia E71, 72, 63) platforms getting cheaper,
cyber criminals have now started targeting them.
According to a recent report by
Kaspersky Lab, the 3D Anti-terrorist game popping up on many websites offers the free download of a file which is actually a
trojan that calls premium rate numbers across the globe without your knowledge. Your infected phone's bill could be a huge amount. Beware smart phone users. You may not be doing a smart thing when you download a free software or a mobile game on your cellphone. For
cyber criminals have now
zeroed in on you.
Unknown to you, your mobile phone might start dialling premium rate numbers across the globe. Blame it on a
selflaunching Trojan that has dropped into your cellphone when you were downloading a free software or a game.
Cyber criminals, who are controlling such Trojans, will be dialling the numbers, but you will be the one footing the bill.
A recent research by
Kaspersky Laboratories has found that a new game, called 3D Anti-Terrorist, is often popping up on many websites. windows mobile
smartphone users can download it for free. It takes up just 1.5MB space, and comes with a file named reg.
exe.
Kaspersky lab expert Denis
Masllenikov has said in a report that the file is actually a Trojan that calls premium rate numbers across the globe. It gets installed the moment a user completes downloading the game on his
smartphone.
Masllenikov's report says that the Trojan has been made by Russian virus writers. Once installed, it launches itself. It was detected last month, and ever since it has been found that calls from infected phones are being made to six premium rate numbers across the globe.
Last year too, the
Kaspersky labs had detected a similar kind of Trojan. It came with a free software called
iporn player, which promised
smartphone users access to various porn sites. One the player was installed, the Trojan started calling premium rate numbers in places like Austria, Liechtenstein,
Burkina Faso, Switzerland and Nauru.
The bills of the infected phones ran up to huge amounts, and the users came to know of it only after receiving the bills.
IT experts say that the only way to avoid smart phones being infected by such viruses and Trojans is not to
download software or other files from unknown websites. The users should only download software from phone manufacturers' official websites.
Masllenikov said, "
Cyber criminals can target any person's phone at any location. If smart phones are widely users in a particular country, users there are more likely to fall prey to this."
Technology evangelist
Vijay Mukhi told DNA, "The premium rate calls are mostly made to pay-per-call international numbers and
friendship lines. There could be a person somewhere in the world, who has actually subscribed to this service after being offered heavy discounts on the existing market rates. He will be making the call, but the charges for them will be paid by the user whose phone has been infected."
