cellphone warez has hidden sms dialer

[VJ]

http://www.gizmodo.com/archives/cellphone-warez-has-hidden-sms-dialer-019112.php

A cracked version of the popular "Mosquito v2.0" game for Symbian phones has turned out to include a special trojan payload: a dialer that sends a text message to the UK number 87140 with a charge of £1.50 (about $2.75) a pop. So yeah, that sucks, but you shouldn't be downloading phone warez, either.

I found this interesting... Just the fact that it is technically possible might raise some security issues with other softwares too....


Jörg

[Marshmallowman]

you would think that the owners of the 87140 would be legal responisble for costs, as they are the ones benefiting from it

[VJ]

Interesting...
Suppose the following: you develop a software which has some security, as a result, illegal copies dial to a given number.
The people using your software can hardly start a legal battle, as they are using the software illegaly themselves.

Any chance this might be used as copy protection?

Jörg

[Kooldino]

Oh the irony.

[VJ]

It was a copyprotection!

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/08/11/mosquitos_malware_myth/

But it backfired...

Symbian has also issued a statement:

http://www.symbian.com/press-office/2004/pr040810.html

Jörg