It will take a major virus attack before network operators and handset manufacturers start taking the threat of cellphone viruses seriously, says US research company Visiongain. However, UK anti-virus firm Sophos says the threat is not credible.
Visiongain's new study, Mobile Anti-Virus Market 2005-2010, says the market for anti-virus protection for cellphones is growing, and worldwide spending for such products is set to rise from $723 million (R4.338 billion) last year to $12.16 billion (R72.96 billion) by 2007.
The study says the spending will increase as cellphone network operators, handset companies and end-users begin to appreciate the benefits of mobile virus protection.
"Already we have seen some minor viruses such as Lasco.A start to attack handsets, but to date nothing has affected the industry on a major scale," says Jean Pierre Aubertin, the report's author. "We believe it is only a matter of time before a more serious virus targeted at smart phones strikes."
Mobile devices are becoming ideal targets for viruses, due to the increase in sophistication, functionality and connectivity. Visiongain recommends that mobile operators, handset manufacturers and handset operating system providers start investigating the issue of mobile viruses before it is too late.
A number of traditional anti-virus companies and new entrants have already started to make progress in providing solutions. The study analyses the propagation of mobile viruses, and the counter-measures being offered on the market, with detailed analysis on offers by McAfee, Trend Micro, Symantec, F-Secure and Kaspersky Lab.
Brett Myroff, MD of local Sophos distributor Netxactics, says Sophos will start issuing anti-virus protection for cellphones only "once the threat is credible".
Myroff says most cellphones in SA do not use operating systems such as Symbian and Windows CE operating systems.
"A virus needs a host to help activate it. However, most cellphones do not use sophisticated operating systems and their functionality is limited," he says.
Myroff acknowledges that it is only a matter of time before the threat becomes real, but a lot would depend on the rate of adoption of smart cellphones, which is related to the installation of 3G cellphone networks in SA.
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