Stories such as the one in Network World about how a new type of proof-of-concept computer virus can pass from a PC to a mobile computer device and delete files are very interesting. The anti-virus vendors seem skeptical. This is semi-deja vu. A few years ago when the use of mobile computing devices was still in its infancy I read an article in which one of the anti-virus vendors, I thought it was McAfee, said someday it would be possible to get a computer virus just by walking past an infected wireless computer or smartphone with your wireless computing device. I spent too long googling to try and find this article tonight…exasperating! If any of you find it, please let me know!
However, seems like this possibility has been discussed for a few years now, and appears that someday all computing devices will be wireless, and thus capable of communicating easily with each other, via one route or another, won’t they? The use of wireless in business is increasing daily. A 2005 study reported 93.5% of responding companies used wireless somewhere within their organization, and 48% of the employees had access to use wireless technology.
I’m certainly not a computer virus guru, but based upon programming and wireless concepts, the threat of these kind of virtual air-born viruses make sense. I would be interested in seeing how many viruses that exist today started out as "proof of concept" viruses…basically didn’t they all? Seems that the potential for this new concept virus called Crossover is being downplayed by the anti-virus software vendors who cannot get their hands on the code from MARA.
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