Why Antivirus Software Is Needed for PDAs and Mobiles

Most big-name PDAs presently available (HP, Sony, Toshiba, Dell, iPhone and Blackberry) have operating systems as complex as those found only in personal computers not so many years ago. History has shown us that complexity in computing systems is one factor that leads to exploitation by those whose moral values are (ahem) different from most persons’.

Another factor that leads to the existence of viruses is the widespread adoption of new technology. Computer viruses started showing up in force when PCs were starting to sell in large numbers in the late 1980s. These days, PDAs with the Palm OS and Pocket PC operating systems are so popular that exploits such as Trojan horses and viruses are an ever-increasing threat to the mobile platform.

Synchronizing data with PCs

In most instances, PDAs are used as a convenient means of accessing data that usually resides on PCs. Data created on a PC can be copied to its companion PDA, and vice versa — data created on a PDA can be copied to the PC. This process of transferring data is commonly called synchronization — and it’s potentially one way to use a PDA to attack a PC (or, for that matter, to attack a PDA via a PC).

Surfing the Net from a PDA

Wireless technology (or Wi-Fi, as it’s fashionably known) has enabled PDAs to act as mini-browsers to access the Internet. Directly accessing the Internet exposes a PDA to the many threats that exist there — Web sites with disguised hostile content (meanies that attempt to harm you, your information, or your computer), viruses, scams, and fraud (not to mention those poorly written Web sites that clutter up the screen like cyber-junkshops — but I digress).

Some of you may point out that few, if any; viruses in existence today can directly harm PDAs. Good point — so far. It’s unlikely to be true for long, though. I’ve argued many times that whenever a computing platform such as Windows becomes popular, viruses and other threats are sure to follow. This has held true throughout the Internet age and probably won’t change any time soon. Throw a good party and it’s an equally good bet that crashers and spoilers will find out — and try to ruin things.

Because I said so

This isn’t about royalties, kickbacks, or ego. I just happen to think that the era of using PDAs without antivirus software is drawing to a close.

Well, okay, I wouldn’t call you insane if you ran out and purchased a PDA today and didn’t immediately load it up with antivirus software. But the tide will turn someday; perhaps even as you read this there may have already been more viruses that targeted PocketPC, Palm, Blackberry, or whatever PDAs are in vogue. The more popular PDAs get with customers, the more popular they’ll get with virus writers.