Nokia to load AV on phones

The mobile phone security drumbeat continues...

Nokia has entered a pact with Symantec to help secure its mobile phones from viruses that target certain kinds of handsets. Under the agreement, announced Wednesday, Nokia plans to arm its Series 60 smart phones with the Symantec Mobile Security antivirus program. The software is designed to ward off attacks that could compromise the extensive data, such as contact databases, that people store on their smart phones, the companies said. The devices typically have many computer-like features, including e-mail and Web browsing, which have made them vulnerable to attacks.

Cell phone virus outbreaks are a small but emerging threat, security experts have said. Nokia and Symantec said their agreement follows two years of joint work to develop mobile security technology. Earlier this year, software maker Kaspersky Lab released its own mobile antivirus software.

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