THE first ever computer virus that can infect mobile phones has been
discovered, anti-virus software developers said today, adding that up until
now it has had no harmful effect.

The French unit of the Russian security software developer Kaspersky Labs
said that that virus - called Cabir - appears to have been developed by an
international group specialising in creating viruses which try to show "that
no technology is reliable and safe from their attacks".

Cabir infects the Symbian operating system that is used in several makes of
mobiles, notably the Nokia brand, and propagates through the new bluetooth
wireless technology that is in several new mobile phones.

If the virus succeeds in penetrating the phone, it writes the inscription
'Caribe' on the screen and is then activated every time that the phone is
turned on.