McAfee and SmartTrust announced today that the two are collaborating to create an integrated mobile virus protection platform that combines McAfee’s security software with SmartTrust’s mobile device management and update solution.

Called SmartManage, the platform is designed to make the still nascent but growing problem of mobile malware a manageable issue for carriers by giving them the means not only to block viruses’ proliferation but also a way to easily deliver that protection to their millions of vulnerable customers. The protection itself is built on McAfee’s standard VirusScan Mobile software, a constantly updated anti-virus application that disinfects smartphones and feature phones the same way its PC software cleans computer hard drives.

SmartTrust’s management platform, however, tracks the software across millions of handsets on a carriers networks, allowing the operator to immediately detect vulnerable handsets when a new threat becomes apparent and upload the appropriate patch or configuration script over-the-air. SmartTrust’s platform even allows customers to transfer anti-virus configuration profiles from one handset to another as customers upgrade their handsets.

“Mobile threats are even more dangerous because virus writers have learned for their experiences in the PC environment,” SmartTrust CEO Paul Cuss said in a statement. “This means that the most dangerous outbreaks will occur with little fanfare but maximum damage, further validating the need for a carrier-based, always-on, proactive mobile virus solution. Ignoring the threat of mobile viruses will almost certainly bring financial loss and significant damage to established brands.”

Cuss’ statement may seem extreme considering viruses have had little effect on the mobile industry so far, but there is evidence to suggest that there may be a significant jump in malware attacks in the offing. Until recently viruses were only found in smartphones, primarily in Symbian-powered handsets, but last month the first virus that attacks Java phones was found in Russia. What’s more, this particular virus went beyond the “proof of concept” design of other mobile viruses to date. The Russian viruses initiated premium SMS messages generating hundreds of dollars in charges on a user’s account before it was stopped.