Symantec unveils antivirus software for Palm OS

Symantec announced antivirus software for the Palm operating system to combat the still small, but growing, numbers of computer viruses aimed at disrupting use of the handheld device.

Symantec AntiVirus 2001 for Palm OS is a two-part application that runs on both a handheld and the user's desktop PC. That's because the PC is needed to download the necessary virus updates from Symantec's Web site, a routine process for fighting newly discovered viruses by adding their "signatures" to the known virus repertory. The Palm device using Symantec antivirus product obtains the virus updates in any of three ways: by infrared beaming, by CDPD-based modem or by hot-syncing with the PC, depending on the user's particular Palm OS device.

In the future, Symantec may refine the product to transmit virus updates directly to the Palm through wireless broadcast, says Tom Powledge, group project manager at Symantec. The software costs $40.

According to Powledge, there are three known Palm OS viruses. They are the Phage, which can delete files, as well as the Vapor and the Liberty trojans that hide your applications from you. Antivirus software providers expect to see that number climb just as the number of computer viruses targeted at PCs has risen steadily over the years. Network Associates and Trend Micro are two other vendors of antivirus software for the Palm OS.

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