Virus check

What program/download was it that contained the virus? What was the filename?

It would be the first one I've ever heard of. What symptoms did it produce etc.

More info please 😊

Not sure what file it was my symbian is the only site i trust and use for downloads the virus disabled every thing on my phone all i could do was make and recieve calls and had to send my phone off to nokia to get it repaired

Did you try a reset with *#7370# before sending the phone back to your NSC?

Almost sounds to me like a badly written program (wildskinz anyone?) ..

When you say it disabled things - how exactly? Error messages? Menu key not working? Crashing?

AFAIK there are no virus checkers as yet for symbian phones 😞

I would open the menu and there was nothing there if i tried to reset my phone it said that an error occured and that was it my local nokia service center could not fix the probolem and my phone had to be sent to nokias main factory

I would open the menu and there was nothing there if i tried to reset my phone it said that an error occured and that was it my local nokia service center could not fix the probolem and my phone had to be sent to nokias main factory

Yes folks, unfortunately, there are viruses for the 7650/3650. The most common one I've seen actually removes the \system\bootdata folder, so the phone obviously won't boot. Worse yet, because the boot data is destroyed, the phone can't even enter "service mode" so it can't be repaired. All you'll get on the phone is the NOKIA logo fading in and out a few times, then it will switch itself off.

I guess because of the threats that are appearing, there will be a virus checker soon (come on PsiLoc, Symbianware, you're onto a winner there 😉) to keep our smartphones safe, but there are no virus checkers available yet for S60.

Cheers

Remember the story about the boy that cried "Wolf!" 😉

In other words (j2k and others), instead of propagating rumours or personal (probably unfounded) suspicions, how about posting some real facts?

E.g., what virus (name or whatever is known), info about how it is distributed/spreads (in what/which files, etc.), what virus tracking organizations/groups recognize it (CERT, F-Secure, Symantec, CA, wildlist.org, etc.), how it behaves, etc.

Without real details, behaviour like this can only be accounted as either hearsay/speculation, user errors, or misbehaving ( =buggy ) software instead of actual virus software.

Besides, any actual, detected Series 60/Symbian viruses would be big news (at least in the industry publications, but probably also any news media), and I don't recall ever having seen such. Has anyone else (with a reference, please)?

To paraphrase Freud (or something often attributed to him, anyway): Sometimes bad software is just bad software.

[quote="N/A"]Remember the story about the boy that cried "Wolf!" 😉

In other words (j2k and others), instead of propagating rumours or personal (probably unfounded) suspicions, how about posting some real facts?[/quote]

Erm, I actually know someone who was infected. The SIS file actually overwrites the boot data. I know this for fact, after viewing the contents of the SIS file. Now something that does that sounds like a virus to me.

I have no idea if it has a proper "name" as such. Really, it's the SIS that carries the payload, no actual application as such.

hmm ..

isn;t it the important data all in the Z: (ROM) ???
so nothing could change it unleash u flash the device

But maybe i'm wrong

Doesn't sound like a virus at all to me. To meet the definition of a virus, it has to be able to spread/replicate, distribute itself, and attach itself (and hide) in other files/executables.

Instead of a virus, what you describe sounds like a standalone piece of malicious software (or so called malware) or possibly just simply a buggy application/.SIS file.

Note that a virus also fits the cateogory of malware, but it knows how to spread.

Other types of malware are trojans (e.g., an application that looks like a game, may even be playable, but does something nasty "behind the scenes", so to speak), or worms (that spread/replicate, but cannot attach to other files).

So, without you posting the actual software, or a link to it, it is really hard to say what you saw really is.

[quote="N/A"]Doesn't sound like a virus at all to me. To meet the definition of a virus, it has to be able to spread/replicate, distribute itself, and attach itself (and hide) in other files/executables.[/quote]

I guess different people have different definitions of the term 'virus'. I, personally, class something that deliberately does harm to a device as a virus.

Instead of a virus, what you describe sounds like a standalone piece of malicious software (or so called malware) or possibly just simply a buggy application/.SIS file.

I see your point there. I'm told that the "software" which was downloaded from a place that, lets say, is "not exactly legal". I guess the moral of this story is to only download from authentic, legitamate sources, and don't do warez.

So, without you posting the actual software, or a link to it, it is really hard to say what you saw really is.

I don't have a copy of that file for obvious reasons, as I delete any suspicious files immediately.

Cheers

Well i know about viruses so you dont have to tell me about that i thought the same just a software error but when i had my phone back off nokia they sent a description of the fault to my local nsc who sent my phone off and said it was i virus off a downloaded program they could not tell me what program started it because the virus spread all through my phone lucky my phone is insured

virus??:shocked!:
last thing I need on my phone

What harm can cause a VIRUS when Z: is EPROM??
What's more, what harm can it cause when it doesn't even exist?? 😊

deathmonger,its enough for an app to erase certain system files that are stored on C: and your phone will be on a joy ride towards the nearest NSC.I don't know if that can be classified as a viral behaviour but it will certanly cause you a lot of headaches

[quote="GrammatonCleric"]deathmonger,its enough for an app to erase certain system files that are stored on C: and your phone will be on a joy ride towards the nearest NSC.I don't know if that can be classified as a viral behaviour but it will certanly cause you a lot of headaches[/quote]

Indeed

You can get all kinds of virus like a computer some virus can damage your rom drive which cannot be changed it will spread every where given the time needed both virus software is the only way to stop them there is a phone virus i was reading about that spreads via text message as well you going to argue about that to nokia told me it was a virus and i believe them

So are PhoneSecure and WildSkinz classes as a virus because of the amount of people that have had their phones reflashed because of them? Ive installed a hell of a lot of dodgy stuff on my phone and never found anything thats given me a problem. The first TRUE virus will probably be developed by whowever creates the first S60 virus protection app. At the moment theres no need for one.
Stezos

There is no phone virus that spreads as text messages.

Badly behaving (accidentall or intentionally) software, does not mean that it is a virus.

Applications that behave badly, when they receive specific input does not make the input a virus.

There are phones with software bugs that cause weird behaviour or lock-ups if someone sends a specifically formatted (something that takes advantage of a programming error on the phone), malicious text message to them.

However, such a text message is not a virus (it does not attach itself to and hide in files/programs on the target device, it does not spread itself).

Someone has to explicitely construct - or otherwise find - such a message, and send it to your phone, and your phone must be one affected by this particular software bug.

Also, many support techicians (especially new ones to the job) tend to use the execuse "it's a virus", if they can't explain what caused a particular problem. Such a claim doesn't mean that it really is a virus that caused the problem.

The follow-up advise from such a technician is also often "reformat" or "reinstall", which destroys any evidence of what the problem really was and surely leaves the the customer with the impression that it really was some kind of a virus (even if in all likelihood it wasn't).

Well, at least helps the technician to get rid of the problem/customer that they don't know how to really figure out. And if the same customer calls again, it is most likely that some other technician answers the call instead of them. 😉

Until a reputable security organization/company/person attests to the existence of a mobile phone virus, I reserve the right to disagree as to the existence of such.

Note that I'm not saying that such a mobile phone virus cannot be written, but that none has been seen yet (except as inexplicable phone behaviour claimed to be a virus, but without any real proof).

Anyway, enough on this now (I think).

I agree with N/A's definitive comments there.

Malicious or simply bad programming is not a virus.

I think the idea of self-propagating text messaging viruses will get a lot of publicity, but there are so many propietary operating systems on phones at present - I can only think that will make accessing the address book etc extremely difficult.

(if the MS smartphone takes off, that's an obvious starting point for any virus writer 😃 )

There are viruses if there is software there is a virus errors are used to show a device that original copy is being used ok virus has to be made to suit the software to be sent as software i know someone who wrote a virus for the 3310/3330 and cant remember the name of the phone but was a small gold phone

[quote="Stoney"]You can get all kinds of virus like a computer some virus can damage your rom drive which cannot be changed it will spread every where given the time needed both virus software is the only way to stop them there is a phone virus i was reading about that spreads via text message as well you going to argue about that to nokia told me it was a virus and i believe them[/quote]

Dude, learn how to use a full stop (or any punctuation).

8)

I didn't understand any of that,i wanted to reply because i thought understood and disagreed with some of the point.Well,i thought wrong 😃

[quote="liverpool lad"]I agree with N/A's definitive comments there.

Malicious or simply bad programming is not a virus.

I think the idea of self-propagating text messaging viruses will get a lot of publicity, but there are so many propietary operating systems on phones at present - I can only think that will make accessing the address book etc extremely difficult.

(if the MS smartphone takes off, that's an obvious starting point for any virus writer 😃 )[/quote]

If malicious programming isn't a virus, what is?

[quote="j2k"]If malicious programming isn't a virus, what is?[/quote]

Hmm. Malicious AND creative programming? 😉 A virus is harder to write.

As far as I can remember there was a difference between a virus, and all other kinds of malicious software such as trojans for example (and by as far as I can remember I mean the very early 90's. Earlier than that I only had 8-bit computers 8) ). A virus has to replicate by itself without the knowledge of the user.

In any case, regarding to all other posts in this discussion, I think we're experiencing a slight change in the meaning of the word virus, making it a broader term. And I wonder why?

[quote="De Dragon Slayer"]A virus has to replicate by itself without the knowledge of the user.[/quote]
Absolutely correct. That's the definition of a virus and nothing else! The virus doesn't even have to do any damage to be a virus!

I always believe that the viruses are created who develope antivirus software..
Demand and supply!!!

magic

[quote="Magic"]I always believe that the viruses are created who develope antivirus software..
Demand and supply!!!
[/quote]

Nah. It goes the other way around. Only people who wrote viruses when they were young, know how to defeat them (an make money on it) when they grow older. 😉

IMHO there will be a 7650 / Symbian virus long before any AV software for it comes out. It wouldn' t make any sense the other way around, anyway. 😃
It's a completely different situation here than with the chicken and the egg. 😃