Kaspersky Lab Talks About Non-PC Viruses

Kaspersky Lab, a Russian antivirus specialist, said that the recent upsurge of interest in antivirus protection for computerized home appliances, mobile phones and handheld computing devices has become one of the most discussed topics in the computer press, IT conferences and among IT specialists throughout the world.

Eugene Kaspersky, the firm's head of antivirus operations, said that the reason for this interest is quite clear: the world is moving very fast toward integrating IT into nearly all fields of human activity.

Kaspersky said that the problem has become extremely relevant. In a few years, he noted, people will be able to schedule and regulate operating modes of washing machines, refrigerators, stoves and other home appliances using the computers.

"Create a control program once, and you can be sure that every morning you will have your breakfast ready before you even enter the kitchen," he said.

However, apart from the obvious advantages to day-to-day life that this improvement provides, Kaspersky warned that there is another side to the story.

The microwave oven from the example mentioned above, he said, operates according to certain commands (so called script programs) sent by the computer. The computer in turn is connected to the Internet. This, he cautioned, provides an opportunity for computer viruses to enter your computer. Once on the computer they can even gain access to the home appliances by sending them their own malicious commands.

"Nobody would like it if a virus opens your fridge's door for the whole night. Just imagine the smell," he said, adding that, while the example is illustrative if rather harmless, there can be more serious consequences of a virus attack.

"Suppose the virus enters a hospital's main servers, which controls patients' life support systems. In this case the outcome could be lethal. It might be the case that commonly used PCs will be separated from simplified home PCs, designed to provide Internet access, e-mail processing and control over home appliances," he said.

Another area which could be affected by viruses, Kaspersky cautioned, is mobile phones.

The incredibly fast development of wireless technology, he said, will soon turn them from an ordinary tool of voice transaction into a universal mobile communications portal with the rest of the world.

As a result, he said, the mobile phones will be empowered with all features of modern PCs connected to the Internet. This will allow people to perform financial transactions, online purchasing and sensitive data transfer using mobile phones. They will be equipped with operating systems, text editors, spreadsheet editors, database processors and other services.

Kaspersky said that users of these appliances will soon have an ability to exchange executable files. As with PCs, some of these files and applications will be vulnerable to viruses.

Kaspersky Lab noted that Swedish company Vattenfall introduced an advanced control system for home appliances using mobile phones and the Internet.

This system allows people to receive comprehensive reports from automated security systems installed in their home, control room temperature inside of the buildings and schedule operating mode of different home appliances.

Michael Kalichenko, Kaspersky Lab's technical director, said that modern trends define the interest Kaspersky Lab takes in development of special antivirus software modules for mobile phones and home appliances.

"The main problem in this area is the principal difference between the environment architecture of PCs and these devices. Thus, anti-virus vendors will have to produce completely new products from the ground upwards," he said.

To cope with this challenge, he added, two years ago Kaspersky Lab started the development of a unique anti-virus technology, which allows the firm to move its software easily to any operating system, processor type, WAP-gateway, mobile phone and even home appliances.

Kalichenko said that the firm is planning to release the first version of this new generation of antivirus software later this year.

Kaspersky Lab's Web site is at http://www.kasperskylabs.com.

Reported by Newsbytes.com, http://www.newsbytes.com.