SMobile will scare you into paying up.

Like some kind of mafia enforcer, Smobile is leaning over your grocery shop's counter and strongly suggesting that nasty things may happen to you and your family.

From a press release issued today:

"No longer are these viruses merely nuisances. These viruses are getting more insidious in nature, smarter in their design, and ultimately more dangerous to consumers, corporate smartphone users and to the carriers who provide service", says CTO of SMobile, George Tuvell.

While the open architecture of Google's Android will allow thousands of developers to create third party applications for the platform, its Linux-based operating system will quickly enable hackers to explore and eventually exploit any security holes in the core Google software as well as third party software.

Of course, if you want to cough up for SMobile's Android security suite, there'll be no need for the company to send Guido around to pay a visit.

Okay, so granted the mobile space will be the next frontier in cyber security, but in my eyes trumpeting risk in a grab for profit is a bit distasteful.

I particularly object to the "Linux-based operating system" bit. They're playing on consumer ignorance here, and suggesting that Linux, well-known as the domain of shady hacker-types and smelly, bearded hippie-communists, is going to attract the wrong sort of attention. FUD, pure and simple.