The fine folks at Kaspersky Lab have claimed they have created a “proof of concept” virus for the iPod. Here’s how you might get this virus:

1. Have an iPod
2. Install Linux on your iPod
3. Install the virus on your iPod
4. Run the virus

Oh, and the virus doesn’t spread between iPods.

Please.

First of all, who the heck’s putting Linux on their iPod? And anyone who’s doing that probably knows not to install viruses and run them. And if they install something and it installs this “virus” then it’s a trojan horse, not a virus. And if it doesn’t spread automatically, it’s not a virus, it’s a worm.

Suggesting this is an iPod virus is like suggesting you can blow up your car by replacing the engine with a stick of dynamite and lighting the fuse: well, yeah, it’s still a car in the strictest sense, but it’s a stick of dynamite: of course you might blow up your car. And who the heck’s replacing engines with dynamite anyway?

A transparent attempt at publicity?