Skull, EPOC.Cabir, WinCE.Dust, Mosquito, & Bardor aren't just names. They're recent malware designed to exploit and take advantage of holes in smartphone security. Spam, the SMS variety in particular, is another problem on the near horizon for mobile users.

To combat these threats, Trend Micro today introduced a product called Mobile Security, which provides anti-virus and anti-spam protection (for SMS messages) on data-centric Windows Mobile and Symbian UIQ smartphones and PDAs.

The company's Director for Device Security Marketing Todd Thiemann told SmartPhoneToday, "The global smartphone market is growing rapidly and therefore is becoming an attractive target for virus writers," not to mention those who oppose them.

In-Stat/MDR predicts global smartphone shipments will grow 44 percent year over year between 2004 and 2008, while a similar report by research firm iSuppli estimates the market will increase to 108.8 million units by 2008—up from 10.9 million last year.

Unlike other products in the space, Mobile Security combines automatic and manual scanning for both spam and malware. As a way to establish Mobile Security in the market, Trend Micro is offering the software for free until June 30, 2005. That includes free virus definition updates.

Thiemann said "We're launching Trend Micro Mobile Security as a free download so consumers and corporate users can protect their data-centric mobile phones & PDAs before viruses start to proliferate." The company views its 'generosity' as a kind of holiday gift.

As opposed to the commercial edition of Mobile Security—due at the end of June—the free version requires users to 'pull' virus definition updates down to their handsets rather than Tend Micro automatically 'pushing' the updates to themr—a minor inconvenience for the individual but a potential headache for enterprises.

Mobile Security is available now for Windows Mobile smartphones, such as the Motorola MPx20 & MPx220, O2 XPhone, and Orange SPV C500. Tend Micro won't handle Symbian handsets with the UIQ user interface, including Sony Ericsson's P800, P900, and P910, or Pocket PC phones and handhelds until January.

Interestingly, Trend Micro does not list Symbian Series 60—the most popular smartphone platform worldwide—or the Palm operating system—with the best-selling smartphone series in the United States, the palmOne Treo 600/650—for Mobile Security compatibility.

When asked why, a representative told SmartPhoneToday that Series 60 and its sister platform, Series 80, along with the many handsets they represent, would gain support sometime early next year. Palm platform smartphones, on the other hand, won’t. For some reason, the company is taking a wait and see attitude when it comes to Palm.