With a name like "Timofonica" this isn't your traditional computer virus. Sure it uses the same transportation means as its distant cousins "Melissa" and "ILOVEYOU." But this virus boldly goes where no virus has gone before-into your pocket. Yes, those virus writers showed us once again they haven't run out of new creative ideas just yet and don't plan on giving up anytime soon. "Timofonica," named after Spain's telephone service, spreads through e-mail much like the famed "ILOVEYOU." But after it performs all its PC damage it e-mails out spam e-mail messages to random Spain mobile phone users.
The phones themselves remain unharmed. But this "small step for virus" is one giant leap for virus kind. Till now computer viruses never left typical cyberspace. But as the far corners of cyberspace like PDAs and cell-phones become more commonly used for e-mailing and web surfing, that they would become the target of virus writers was inevitable. And as Internet capabilities of such handheld devices improve so does the chance of being hit by a far more damaging virus. Yet this doesn't begin to describe the Pandora's box "Timofonica" has opened. We live in an age ever readily relying upon the power of the silicon computer chip. We put these chips in our cars, our televisions, our phones, our clocks, and even our toasters! And then, the growing trend seems to be, we connect all of them to something we call the Internet.
So one morning you are awoken at 3:30 A.M. by your Star Trek radio alarm clock, which wasn't set to go off for another three and a half hours. From the radio reporter you learn that your clock has been infected by the "3:30AM virus." "Lovely," you mutter as pull the plug, being unable to shut off the radio or even lower the volume. Later, after oversleeping, you are awoken by an unusual aroma. It smells like coffee, but there's something odd about it. After taking your first sip you realize your coffeemaker has a bad case of the "decaf virus" and can no longer brew caffeinated coffee. But before you even get a chance to ponder upon how that would be technically possible your toaster starts smoking. Alas, you've been hit with the dreaded "Burnt Toast virus."
Although this scenario may sound like something out of the "The Twilight Zone" we are actually moving closer to it becoming a reality. Consider that over half of the one billion mobile phones that will be in use during the next 3 years will have wireless Internet access according to Reuters. Experts predict similar numbers for web capable personal digital assistants. So when reports of the first Palm OS compatible Trojan hit the newswire it came as no surprise that the collective reaction from virus specialists around the globe was "what took so long!?"
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