Hackers unleash mobile phones virus

The world's first computer virus to be spread by mobile phones has been unleashed.

The worm, known as Cabir, is spread via wireless Bluetooth technology and makes the word 'caribe' appear on the phone screen.

At present the virus, thought to be the work of international hacker group 29A, is not 'in the wild' and has been sent only to anti-virus companies to show the weakness in their technology.

But the development has prompted debate between anti-virus companies divided on

whether viruses spread by mobile will soon be a risk for users

Matt Piercy, of F-Secure, one of the few companies to receive Cabir, said although this virus was not a danger to users it could mean worse was on the way.

He added: 'I would not be surprised to see the first attempt at something more sinister in the next few months.'

If a malicious mobile phone virus was written and sent out it could wipe out contact numbers and other data stored on handsets, as well as sending out messages purporting to come from the victim's mobile phone.

But Graham Cluley, of Sophos Anti-Virus, said Cabir was more an interesting development rather than a serious threat, calling it 'a milestone in the timeline of viruses'. He added he believed Windows would remain the primary target for viruses in the near future.

One such virus, the Zafi-B worm which displays a message about the death penalty in Hungary, is infecting 90 out of every 1,000 e-mails sent at present.