Security Bullet In
Communiques from the security front, sir
Tuesday 10 April 2007, 4:50 PM
iPod proof of concept virus
Security software vendor Kaspersky Labs claims to have discovered the first virus designed to infect iPods. Kaspersky has named it Podloso. It's a proof of concept program and "does not pose a real threat," according to Kaspersky.
The virus is a file which can be launched and run on an iPod. For the virus to function, Linux has to be installed on the iPod, and the user has to install the virus themselves. The virus settles itself into the folder which contains program demo versions.
Once launched, the virus scans the device’s hard disk and infects all executable .elf format files. Any attempt to launch these files will cause the virus to display a message on the screen which says “You are infected with Oslo the first iPodLinux Virus”, said Kaspersky.
PreviousComments on this post
Tom,
This is not really a virus... As you have to install and execute it yourself.
Also I would like to point out that this is like saying "OMFG A Virus on a MAC!!!!!!! WTF????" if you install BootCamp and run the Mac in Windows without any virus protection.
The point is the vast majority of iPod users do not have, and will never have, Linux installed on their iPod.
Nothing to see here... Move along...
Hi John,
Valid points, well made. I thought when I wrote the post that it was evident I was being tongue-in-cheek -- rereading it perhaps it's not so obvious.
Yes -- a virus by definition needs to be self-replicating. And yes, not many people are going to have Linux installed on their iPod. And fewer of them are going to want to run malware on it voluntarily.
However, as for there being nothing to see here, I disagree. It's interesting that security researchers are looking at USB storage devices -- they could open up another attack vector. It's also interesting that vendors are publicising this -- perhaps we'll see more vendors selling USB storage device security products, a la mobile malware.
