VIRUS writers have found a new playground: the extremely pervasive mobile phones. According to the McAfee AVERT (Anti-Virus and Emergency Response Team) Labs, the rapid evolution of smartphone technology and the growing use of converged mobile devices will fuel the rise in the number of mobile malware in 2006. Mobile phone viruses would be particularly prevalent this year as virus writers take advantage of the proliferation of mobile devices and the fact that users were less likely to install mobile security solutions, the antivirus firm said.