Emerging Technologies

Emerging Technologies

3

Mobile-phone viruses

By Stu Hutson

 

ValleZ has released a digital epidemic—or maybe he’s delivered an early inoculation¹.

 

ValleZ is the online handle of a 24-year-old computer programmer from Spain who, in June 2004, wrote the first malicious² program targeting mobile phones, the Cabir worm. Now, security experts fear that the rush to integrate mobile phones into every aspect of our daily lives might make them the perfect carriers for digital diseases.

 

ValleZ is also a member of an international cabal³ of programmers called 29A, which specializes in malicious software, or “malware.” These “ethical⁴ hobbyists” send their creations to security labs so experts can research cures. “[Cabir] was a manner of saying that the antiviral people should be watching out for this,” says ValleZ.

 

Cabir spreads like an airborne disease through Bluetooth wireless⁵ connections, a popular means of transferring data at close proximity⁶ between mobile phones and other wireless devices. The mobile-phone worm’s task could be as simple as swiping your address book, or spewing out costly⁷ and annoying text message spam. Or it could mount a “denial of service” attack on your wireless-service provider by making your phone rapidly dial many numbers in succession.

 

As people start using their “smart” mobile phones to tap into computer networks, the damage caused by malware could grow more severe. If, as promised, mobile phones soon begin to serve as payment devices, mobile malware that nabs your identity and taps directly into your credit line could follow. Theoretically, a corporate⁸ accountant’s phone could pick up a worm and, when synced to a PC, let it loose on the company’s network, jumbling⁹ accounts.

 

ValleZ says he’s finished coding mobile malware—for a little while, at least. Of course, that won’t stop others from concocting¹⁰ their own electronic pests.

 

 

Vocabulary Focus

proximity (n) [prCk5simiti] the state of being near in space or time

spew (v) [spju:] to flow out in large amounts

theoretically (adv) [WiE5retikEli] related to a situation that has not happened or an explanation that has not been proven

 

Specialized¹¹ Terms

handle (n) 在线昵称 a special name for someone, usually used in electronic communication

cabal (n) 秘密组织；阴谋组织 a small group of people who plan secretly to take action, especially political action

antiviral (adj) 防堵病毒的 relating to finding and destroying computer viruses

sync (v) 连接两个电子设备以便同步更新数据 to connect two electronic devices in order to make a set of information identical

 

新兴科技

3

移动电话病毒

ValleZ 引发了一场数字瘟疫，又或者我们可以说他提供了一种早期疫苗。

ValleZ 是西班牙一名24岁计算机程序工程师的在线昵称，他于2004年6月写了首个攻击移动电话的恶意程序，名为“Cabir 蠕虫病毒”。安全专家担心，急于让手机融入日常生活各层面的风潮可能使手机成为数字疾病的最佳传播者。

V a l l e Z 同时是名为“2 9 A”这一秘而不宣的国际程序工程师集团的成员。该集团专业撰写“恶意软件”，英文简称“malware”。这群“有道德的玩家”将自己的作品寄给安全实验室，让专家研究解毒方式。ValleZ 说：“Cabir 只不过想提醒防毒人员应该注意这个病毒。”

蓝牙无线技术是手机与其它无线设备之间一种普遍使用的近距离数据传输方式，Cabir 则透过蓝牙无线连接像藉空气传染的疾病一样地蔓延。手机蠕虫病毒可以执行简单到盗取你的手机通讯簿、或清除大量发送昂贵及扰人的垃圾短信的任务，亦可藉由让手机自动快速地连续拨打多组号码，对无线业者进行“阻绝服务”攻击。

随着人们着手使用“智能型”手机连接计算机网络，恶意软件造成的损害可能更为严重。不久后，若移动电话如预期地成为付款工具，会盗用身份及信用额度的手机恶意软件就可能随后出现。理论上，公司会计师的手机可能感染病毒，一旦手机连接上个人计算机并同步更新数据，病毒便可能流窜至公司网络而扰乱账目资料。

ValleZ 说他已经停止撰写移动通讯恶意软件，至少在短期内。当然，仍然会有其它人继续研发电子病毒，这谁也阻止不了。

1 inoculation   

n.接芽；预防接种

参考例句：

• Travellers are reminded that inoculation against yellow fever is advisable. 提醒旅游者接种预防黄热病的疫苗是明智的。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Travelers are reminded that inoculation against yellow fever is advisable. 旅客们被提醒，注射黄热病预防针是明智的。 来自辞典例句

2 malicious   

adj.有恶意的，心怀恶意的

参考例句：

• You ought to kick back at such malicious slander. 你应当反击这种恶毒的污蔑。
• Their talk was slightly malicious.他们的谈话有点儿心怀不轨。

3 cabal   

n.政治阴谋小集团

参考例句：

• He had been chosen by a secret government cabal.他已被一个秘密的政府阴谋集团选中。
• The illegal aspects of the cabal's governance are glaring and ubiquitous.黑暗势力的非法统治是显而易见的并无处不在。

4 ethical   

adj.伦理的，道德的，合乎道德的

参考例句：

• It is necessary to get the youth to have a high ethical concept.必须使青年具有高度的道德观念。
• It was a debate which aroused fervent ethical arguments.那是一场引发强烈的伦理道德争论的辩论。

5 wireless   

adj.无线的；n.无线电

参考例句：

• There are a lot of wireless links in a radio.收音机里有许多无线电线路。
• Wireless messages tell us that the ship was sinking.无线电报告知我们那艘船正在下沉。

6 proximity   

n.接近，邻近

参考例句：

• Marriages in proximity of blood are forbidden by the law.法律规定禁止近亲结婚。
• Their house is in close proximity to ours.他们的房子很接近我们的。

7 costly   

adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的

参考例句：

• It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
• This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。

8 corporate   

adj.共同的，全体的；公司的，企业的

参考例句：

• This is our corporate responsibility.这是我们共同的责任。
• His corporate's life will be as short as a rabbit's tail.他的公司的寿命是兔子尾巴长不了。

9 jumbling   

混杂( jumble的现在分词 )； （使）混乱； 使混乱； 使杂乱

参考例句：

• Dividers that keep the files from jumBling. 使档案免于混淆的分类卡。

10 concocting   

v.将（尤指通常不相配合的）成分混合成某物( concoct的现在分词 )；调制；编造；捏造

参考例句：

• I judged that he was concocting a particularly knotty editorial. 我估计他是在拼凑一篇特别伤脑筋的社论。 来自辞典例句
• 'And you,' returned Sydney, busy concocting the punch, 'are such a sensitive and poetical spirit.' “可你呢，”西德尼一边忙着调五味酒，一边回答，“你却是这样一个敏感而有诗意的精灵。” 来自英汉文学 - 双城记

11 specialized   

adj.专门的，专业化的

参考例句：

• There are many specialized agencies in the United Nations.联合国有许多专门机构。
• These tools are very specialized.这些是专用工具。