Malware that can destroy a computer system in a click of a mouse is also being turned loose in the phone world. Cyber attacks that wreak havoc on your personal computers are similar to those being thrust at smart phone users and in many cases, the attacks are worse.

Assaults on phones can bring on many problems including a dead phone battery after the phone has been accessed. But much more serious are the personal identity concerns that are brought about if a phone is hacked into for eavesdropping purposes or to follow a phone holders movements. It is a scary proposition but computer experts say these issues can be going on without the owner even knowing it.

Smart phones are very similar to computers in that the run on the same operating systems. The same vulnerabilities a computer has are the same shared by smart phones. Vicious software, known as ‘malware’ can infect a phone quickly and make it useless. In particular, the malware known as rootkits are beyond viruses and can actually attack the brain of the computer/phone system. Only specialized tools can identify these rootkits, leaving users unaware and susceptible to additional attacks. Even computer users with seemingly appropriate protection software are often still open to these vicious attacks. Phones solutions for removing malware aren’t the same as for computers so an attack can prove fatal for smart phone users right now.

Malware doesn’t just enter the phone through its Internet connection. Bluetooth devices and text messaging are portals for the attacks. Researchers have been able to recreate the actions of the rootkit and have proved that attackers can send invisible messages to phones that are in essence commands. For instance, a business person in a meeting can be open to eavesdropping from outside sources. An invisible message can be sent instructing the phone to turn its microphone on during the meeting and no one would be the wiser. Attackers can also pinpoint a phone holder’s exact location through the GPS receiver on the device.

Researchers did not test how different smart phones are susceptible to attacks in their experiments on malware. There is evidence however that consumers are being more security conscious in light of the social media crazes. Unfortunately as technology grows, attacks will continue to thrive in new mediums and grow more complex as time goes by.