Virus FUD Spreads To iPods

from the what-now dept

Well-known anti-virus firm Kaspersky is no stranger to mobile malware FUD. While it usually is talking about mobile phones, the iPod is its latest target, as a post on its site proclaims "Kaspersky Lab discovers the first virus for iPod". That's a juicy headline, but the details really don't live up to the hype. The virus, called Podloso, only affects iPods whose owners have gone to the trouble of installing Linux on them, while the user also has to launch the virus themselves. Kaspersky admits it's nothing more than a proof of concept, and poses no real threat, so the headline might be technically accurate, but its awfully sensationalistic. How long before Kaspersky or another vendor starts selling firewalls and AV software for iPods?
Hide this

Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.

Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.

While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.

–The Techdirt Team


Reader Comments

Subscribe: RSS

View by: Time | Thread


  • identicon
    Sanguine Dream, 5 Apr 2007 @ 4:58pm

    Goodness...

    why doesn't Kaspersky become medical drug company? At least there really are viruses (and other ailments) that are real threats the need to be addressed.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 5 Apr 2007 @ 6:01pm

      Re: Goodness...

      I'm sure they'd find a virus that you only got if you injected it into your own skin, and only did anything to people who had lots of unnecessary surgery.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    DMM, 5 Apr 2007 @ 6:04pm

    Not even technically accurate

    An iPod is a combination of the hardware and the software. Once you install Linux on the hardware, the thing ceases to be an iPod at all.

    The bottom line is that Kaspersky has flat out lied, and dummy news agencies (not Techdirt) have blindly picked up on the sensationalist headline.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 5 Apr 2007 @ 6:42pm

    "...only affects iPods whose owners have gone to the trouble of installing Linux on them"

    Wow, that's so unfortunate for those 8 people in the world.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Paul, 5 Apr 2007 @ 6:54pm

    Kaspersky is actually a really decent company. Don't knock it.

    The headline may have been made to grab attention, but they didn't lie.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      MKN, 5 Apr 2007 @ 7:11pm

      Re:

      Decent people don't do things to grab attention.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Charles Griswold, 5 Apr 2007 @ 8:47pm

        Re: Re:

        Decent people don't do things to grab attention.

        On the other hand, advertising is, by definition, an attempt to grab attention.

        On the gripping hand, there are good and bad forms of advertising and creating sensationalist and misleading headlines is a bad form of advertising.

        IMHO, of course.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    TheLeafer, 5 Apr 2007 @ 8:51pm

    Pff

    Thats why every needs to slap the upod hype bs out of them and go buy an Iriver Clix... Life would be soo much happier without ipods.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Paul, 5 Apr 2007 @ 9:15pm

    "I'm sure they'd find a virus that you only got if you injected it into your own skin"

    So viruses that are only transferable through injection or direct body fluid are not worth finding?

    Someone go tell all those labs to stop their AIDS research..

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      What?, 5 Apr 2007 @ 9:22pm

      Re: Paul

      You are aware that HIV IS spread through "direct body fluid"
      Just wondering?

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Butch T Cougar, 5 Apr 2007 @ 10:17pm

    Re: Re: Paul

    Yeah, he was being sarcastic, I'm sure Paul knows how HIV is spread.... ANYWAY... #4 you are exactly right. It may be a problem to a half dozen people, but who would go to the trouble of changing their iPod like that?? Just buy a PDA, it'd be cheaper than buying an expensive iPod.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    No Need, 5 Apr 2007 @ 10:48pm

    Like Paul said, "Kaspersky is actually a really decent company". 95% of the people who read kaspersky's reports are techies who probably are interested in such proof on concept virus. That being said, I don't see ANYTHING sensational about the title chosen for the post ""Kaspersky Lab discovers the first virus for iPod".

    How much more inoculates could the title have been?!

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    B, 5 Apr 2007 @ 10:49pm

    Linux

    I installed iPod Linux on my iPod photo. It added some video capabilities among other things. Although, I would call the video capabilities "novelty" at best because they needed to be converted into a special format if I remember. Plus, watching a video harshly decreased by battery life.
    I also installed Linux on my old black and white iPod Mini. I tried to watch a movie, but in the end, it was a worthless experience (except now I can tell everyone I can watch videos on my iPod Mini).

    And in response to #3:
    It is still an iPod even with Linux installed. It still retains all iPod functions with some added (or tweaked) ones.

    link to this | view in chronology ]


Follow Techdirt
Essential Reading
Techdirt Deals
Report this ad  |  Hide Techdirt ads
Techdirt Insider Discord

The latest chatter on the Techdirt Insider Discord channel...

Loading...
Recent Stories

This site, like most other sites on the web, uses cookies. For more information, see our privacy policy. Got it
Close

Email This

This feature is only available to registered users. Register or sign in to use it.