Viruses on programmable calculators

Computers, yes. PDAs, yes. Cell phones, yes. But programmable calculators as virus targets? Amazingly, yes. According to Symantec, the popular Texas Instruments TI-89 calculator can be infected by a virus named TIOS.Tigraa. (Credit to eWeek’s Brian Prince for reporting this story yesterday.)

According to Symantec, “TIOS.Tigraa is a memory-resident entry point-obscuring infector of ASM files on Texas Instruments TI89-compatible calculators (TI89, TI92, TI92+, Voyage 200).”

The company further states, “The virus cannot leave the calculator on its own, it requires that a user shares an infected file (either accidentally or intentionally) with another user.”

Fascinating, and scary. What will malware creators think of next?

Z Trek Copyright (c) Alan Zeichick
3 replies
  2. Alan Zeichick
    Alan Zeichick says:

    It’s certainly plausible. My wife’s Acura has integrated Bluetooth; I don’t know much about the system architecture, but the idea that a Bluetooth hack could plant a Trojan or a virus in a car is not out of the question.

    I’ve had similar thoughts about OnStar-like systems. If GM can unlock your car remotely, why can’t someone else?

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