The first iPod virus

Sat, 7 April 2007

Kaspersky Labs claim they have discovered the first virus for iPod. I just love the sensational stories about the “First Mac virus”, there is one ‘first’ virus every few months or so, and they just keep coming …

How long before the next ‘first’ virus for Mac or iPod is discovered? I guess we’re safe now for a few months, and Kaspersky, Symantec, McAfee and alike will have the sales increased for another 0.0043% this quarter.

So what is it that Kaspersky Labs have figured out? It goes something like this:

You get yourself an iPod.
You install Linux on it. Why on earth would you do that - is beyond me, but anyway …
Then you have to ‘install’ the virus yourself. No, you don’t get it in an email or an mp3 file, or via your computer, you have to install the virus. Clever!
Then you have to run the virus yourself. You’re a genius!
Once ‘you’ run the virus, it finally does something, it infects all executable .elf format files.
If you now run any of these executable files, your iPod blows with such a force that it demolishes your house, your neighbours’ houses, water supply and the power lines to the entire suburb.
No, only kidding, of course it doesn’t blow up, instead it displays the message: “You are infected with Oslo the first iPodLinux Virus!” But isn’t this as same as blowing half of your neighbourhood anyway?

So, in Kaspersky Labs’ own words:

The virus is a file which can be launched and run on an iPod. It should be stressed that in order for the virus to function, Linux has to be installed on the iPod. If the virus is installed on the iPod by the user, the virus then installs itself to the folder which contains program demo versions. Podloso cannot be launched automatically without user involvement.

Once launched, the virus scans the device’s hard disk and infects all executable .elf format files. Any attempt to launch these files will cause the virus to display a message on the screen which says “You are infected with Oslo the first iPodLinux Virus”.

I love the final comment on TUAW on the same topic: If you own an iPod, and you run Linux on it - don’t install the virus, ‘kay?

Stumble it!