Is it possible for a N900 to get a virus ? Ok so i use ' Skype ' and something just pop'ed up saying

For the link to become active, please click on 'Add to contacts' skype button or type it in manually into your web browser !

FULL DETAILS OF SCAN RESULT BELOW
****************************************

WINDOWS REQUIRES IMMEDIATE ATTENTION

ATTENTION ! Security Center has detected
malware on your computer !

Affected Software:

Microsoft Windows 7
Microsoft Windows XP
Microsoft Windows Vista
Microsoft Windows Server 2003

Impact of Vulnerability: Remote Code Execution / Virus Infection /
Unexpected shutdowns

Recommendation: Users running vulnerable version should install a repair utility immediately

Your system IS affected, download the patch from the address below !
Failure to do so may result in severe computer malfunction.

http://www?.updatebr.?org/

For the link to become active, please click on 'Add to contacts' skype button or type it in manually into your web browser!

I did not click on the link, I felt it was a scareware. But I was generally worried if I could get a virus or Spyware in my N900.

Please Reply

Don't ever click on such a message; it's a total scam.

No one has yet gotten a virus on the N900 -- it would be almost worth it to be the first, IMHO.

I think you should just forget it. There is a teensy possibility, but it's more likely that you'll be killed by a satellite falling on your house.

yeah lol when u get a warning message that doesn't even know you're running linux, you can probably disregard it.
there's nothing to stop someone from writing an app that does something bad in the background, but messing with people like us (lets just call us administrators since we have root on the phone) is difficult. most of us have sick hobbies like watching conky, tcptrack, tcpdump, batterygraph, etc. and will notice any malicious activity.
even when the source is available for inspection, malicious code can be slipped in without notice. i would suggest not installing any packages that seem poorly written or from questionable sources if you are worried.
running an antivirus on a platform for which there are basically zero known viruses is a bit of a problem. it's easier to just manually look for the suspicious activity, i think.

safe as a mac has "0" votes :P

gotta love the chutzpah of these scammers - they give you a bogus message claiming to be from an AV utility (that you didn't install), but the utility, despite having pinpointed malware on your machine, hasn't quite worked out which flavour of O/S you're running.

well done for not clicking & asking for confirmation of your suspicions., The sad thing is that some % of the computer owning population MUST be clicking on stuff like this, or the scammers wouldn't bother :-(

well, I hope that no n900 owner has such false feeling of security with their device....

e: I voted not safe. Only because there is nothing preventing you to install a package (anywhere outside maemo.org & nokia) that only makes your device unbootable as soon as it gets all your personal data mined to random servers....

A virus is all about target audience. You want maximum hit to get what you are after, be it money or just general damage to the system. Maemo is such a niche market and such a small and shrinking market there really is little impact in creating a virus for it.

As an OS Linux is more stable and harder to break than Windows because of the nature of the kernel, and the fact the structure of drives is different, then each linux distro is different so viruses have a hard time jumping across and then you factor in the mobile aspect again has differing names for things and then factor in that you need ssh (or something similar) downloaded to your N900 to even do anything remotely like affect the phones core files, all of this means it is in no ones interest to create a virus for the N900 in the first place.

Not saying you can't get one, just saying no self respecting virus writer would try. It is not like they can skim money off you while you browse the app store, it is so dire you won't spend money at the OVI store so they see no returns for their effort. So what would they steal that Nokia hasn't already with the 1.2 data grab? Easier to hit Apple and Android phones, where the people are.

Of course you might get some really hacked off developer that does it to make nokia sit up and to give them some bad press.

That would be a shame wouldn't it.

is there something you know/suspect that you're not telling us ?

Exactly what I feel! (Not because it's that bad, just imho)

Not at all, personally I hate virus writers and their ilk, just think Nokia need a wake up call and a good kick into touch. Bad press is always a good start and no easier way to do it than viruses hitting your smartphones which then hits sales with a sheep like public.

My coding skills died with some VB attempts a few years ago, but it only takes one angry developer who can code.