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Deadly virus crippling mobile sets
Comwarrior and Caribee-- a new strain of virus first spotted in Greece and South Africa is giving nightmares to the mobile users, these days.
Comwarrior and Caribee-- a new strain of virus first spotted in Greece and South Africa is giving nightmares to the mobile users, these days.
The virus is running loose around the city, affecting Bluetooth functioning in the set and sometimes permanently crippling the sleek gadget. What's worse, the mobile companies do not take the responsibility for any damage in the set due to virus, even 24 hours after the purchase.
The companies claim that the virus is not generated in the sets. So the customers may lose the entire amount spend on the mobile set within seconds.
The mobile phone agencies and repairing centres are daily receiving 15 to 20 sets on a average which are infected with Comwarrior or Caribee virus. Most of these sets have Bluetooth technology, using the Symbian operating system. The virus mostly affects the Bluetooth function sometimes leaving it permanently switched on. The software fitted in the set also starts hanging, leaving the customers with no option but to switch off the phone.
The mobile set gets infected through a MMS message which is forwarded by another infected set to all the contact numbers saved in the list.
Sometimes the set gets infected while transferring data or other information from the infected computer software. If the set is not immediately taken for anti-virus programme, the mobile set becomes permanently damaged.
Balbir Kohli, owner of a mobile hut, said the problem of Bluetooth virus has increased in the past few days. At an average 15 sets are coming daily infected with virus. "It takes atleast two hours to run anti-virus programme but still there is no guarantee that the set would not be infected in future," he added.
Technician Alok Kesarwani said sometimes anti-virus Chinese software are loaded in the sets. But still there is no surety that it would protect the set from Bluetooth virus, like Comwarrior and Caribee. "Although the companies take no warranty of set getting damaged due to virus, the new versions of Nokia and Samsung are having anti-virus programme installed in them," he added.
Kesarwani also cautioned the users for using Bluetooth programme like sending MMS or voice mail in the crowded places.
"The range of Bluetooth is 25 metres and within this area if there is any infected set, it will also transmit the virus to the other set," he informed.
