Security firm discovers World's first iPod virus

Security vendor Kaspersky Labs claims to have discovered the world's first iPod virus, apparently making iPod owners aware that their portable media player is not guaranteed virus-free device instead like other media devices iPods can also get affected with the virus.

In a statement published on its Web site, Kaspersky Lab, a leading developer of secure content management solutions, claimed that it has created the first virus designed to infect iPod portable media players.

The virus, named Podloso, is though the first iPod virus, but the Massachusetts-based Internet security company says it "does not present a real threat; it simply demonstrates that it is theoretically possible to create malicious programs for such devices."

The Podloso virus is a file which can be launched and run on an iPod, the company said adding that the virus can only affect iPods with Linux installed on them.

Researchers at the Kaspersky Lab stressed that the virus can not automatically infect the popular digital audio player, instead the only way for Podloso to get on the iPod is if the user install it. And, when the virus is installed on the iPod by the user, the virus then stretches itself to the folder which contains program demo versions.

Once the user launches the program, the virus scans iPod's hard disk and infects all executable .elf format files. If the user attempts to access these files it will cause the virus to flash a message on the screen which says "You are infected with Oslo the first iPodLinux Virus".

Kaspersky Lab, which delivers the world’s most immediate protection against IT security threats, including viruses, spyware, crimeware, hackers, phishing, and spam, says Podloso is a typical proof of concept virus that was designed to merely demonstrate that iPods could in fact be infected by a virus, and does not pose a threat to the average iPod users.

In the fast–moving world of software security world, researchers are creating new "proof-of-concept" exploits like Podloso in order to search for new ways that hackers might try to compromise systems. Sometimes, this type of early research gives an indication of future threats in advance.

"When you have a product as popular as the iPod ... it's a natural target for researchers and other hackers looking for vulnerabilities to exploit," said Nick Selby, an analyst at The 451 Group in Boston.

Three years ago, Kaspersky along with Finnish security company F-Secure tested the first computer worm that affected mobile phones, spread by Bluetooth signal. Currently, a number of phone viruses exist, some of them malignant.

As the virus cannot automatically spread and infect other devices without users installing it first, so iPod owners need not to worry about it. It is completely harmless.