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WinMo Malware Jacks Up Phone Bills by Calling Antarctica

by Terrence O'Brien on May 29, 2010 at 11:00 AM

Polar VirusA new piece of malware is hitting Windows Mobile smartphones, and causing them to silently dial phone numbers in the Antarctic. Calls to the isolated and icy continent are quite expensive, more than $6 (around €5) per minute. According to the BBC, the thieves have figured out a way to divert some of these funds, and milk mobile customers for cash. However, no details have been given as to how exactly the scam works. (We contacted Adaptive Mobile, but have yet to hear back from the firm.)

The malicious code has been embedded in a pirated copy of a video game ('3D Anti-Terrorist'), and is being passed around the Web as such. The compromised game was identified in April, but it's still available from many sites that offer free software for the Windows Mobile platform. Scammers are increasingly looking at handsets for two reasons: improved security on the desktop front, and the growing popularity of smartphones. As traditional feature phones find themselves replaced by iPhones, Android handsets and BlackBerries, malware distributors and scammers will continue to focus on the mobile space. [From: BBC]

Tags: antarctica, antarctica scam, AntarcticaScam, cellphone, hack, malware, scam, top, windows mobile, WindowsMobile

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