As the first SMS Trojan to target Android phones has been identified in the wild, Airwide Solutions has issued a warning to mobile operators, reminding them of the need for more robust mobile security solutions.

The Trojan, disguised as a media player application, attacks the phone by sending SMS messages to premium rate numbers, resulting in a huge bill for the unsuspecting owner. Airwide chief marketing officer Jay Seaton says:

“As mobile messaging is increasingly used for critical applications, including mobile banking and mobile payments, and by an expanding universe of subscribers of all ages, the need for more robust mobile security has never been more apparent. While there are steps that users can take to prevent malware attacks, such as only installing apps they trust and using passwords, the responsibility to protect devices also lies with the operator.

“Network operators must have in place as standard a robust security system that is able to detect abnormal patterns in messaging traffic, confirm legitimate senders, filter content, and block suspicious messages. They should also help subscribers better manage their mobile security themselves by implementing personal subscriber controls and preferences. SMS malware attacks will soon become a common occurrence, and security solutions and controls that protect both the network and the user need to be implemented now.”