Lately, there has been plenty of talk about an “SMS of death”. The fact is, this supposedly deadly text isn’t actually a problem for most phones. Read on to see who may be in danger and how to protect yourself.
How can this impact me?
Unlike most viruses that threaten cell phones, this attack targets “feature phones” rather than smartphones. Feature phones are more basic cell phones that have one specific feature that distinguishes them, such as an MP3 player or web browsing capabilities.
Because feature phones rather than smartphones are at risk for this virus attack, most phones used for business purposes are out of danger. In order for the attack to be effective, the hacker must know the make and model of the phone, otherwise the text would simply be read as spam.
Possible indicators of an attack include:
- The phone can shut down without warning
- Some phones may then be rendered useless and the SIM card must be placed in another phone to be functional
Luckily, due to the nature of the ”SMS of death” hack, it will be almost impossible for hackers to insert their own code into the phone and steal any data. Those kinds of attacks are typically reserved for more high-tech smartphones.
How can I protect myself?
These SMS attacks are avoidable simply by updating security software, something that most people with basic feature phones don’t do. Updates generally need to be purchased because most feature phones don’t come with USB cables to update security software.
For more information on this “SMS of death” and how to keep your phone safe, check out this IT World article.
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