Security Flaw Found in Nokia S60 3rd Ed, Says F-Secure

By Editor Wireless and Mobile News on June 5, 2008 1:40 PM

Itt is now possible for mobile phone hackers to bypass the security system of the S60 3rd Edition phones with a mobile application based on Symbian OS v. 9. The S60 3rd Edition is the market-leading open operating system for mobile phones.

The newly developed hack is a so-called privilege escalation hack. This means that hackers can get unauthorized access to the phone's file system, which is normally protected. With this access system modifications can be made. The new hack "makes modding an S60 phone as easy as jailbreaking an iPhone," says the F-Secure blog.

Hacks directed towards the S60 3rd Edition have been evolving for some time. What makes this case different is that the new hack can be carried out without external devices or system knowledge by installing just one mobile application that is downloadable from the web.

Because the application can be considered as a hacking application, it is classified by F-Secure as riskware. F-Secure Mobile Security software identifies this application and removes it.

Commenting on the vulnerability, Jarno Niemelä, Senior Mobile Virus Researcher at F-Secure, said, "The application needs to be installed by the user, so this hacking tool is not a threat to the average mobile user. Because the application lets a user access the file system, we consider this as a security risk. Mobile virus source code could be updated to work on 3rd Edition phones and with the addition of this privilege escalation, hackers could do pretty much the same things as they do on 2nd Edition phones."

More information about the S60 3rd edition vulnerability at the F-Secure weblog:
http://www.f-secure.com/weblog/archives/00001451.html

F-Secure Mobile Security solution enables smartphone users to enjoy the full potential of their devices without the fear of mobile threats. The application combines real-time antivirus and antispyware functionality with a firewall, ensuring complete protection in today's connected lives.