Cabir is the first virus targeting mobile phones. Specifically, Symbian Series 60 phones. It propagates via Bluetooth.
Why this matters
A new category opens. Mobile devices have been outside the malware threat model. Cabir is the proof of concept that they will not stay outside.
The deployment will eventually be vast. Mobile phones outnumber computers by a wide margin and growing. The eventual attack surface, when malware authors commit to mobile platforms, will be enormous.
The defensive infrastructure does not exist. Antivirus on mobile phones is rare; security disciplines do not apply easily; the entire stack is structurally less mature than the desktop equivalent.
What this means for me
I am paying more attention to the mobile space. The category will not be operational at scale for some years; it will be operational, eventually.
More as the year develops.