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is windows CE immune?

mikeschn Page Icon Posted 2017-03-08 12:43 AM
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Just wondered if Windows CE is immune to the virus/malware hacks that were revealed on Wikileaks today? Any ideas?

Mike...
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Rich Hawley Page Icon Posted 2017-03-08 11:40 AM
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Mike, I've never seen a virus for CE...not ever. However, if there were some code that could make my Mobilepro turn itself on inside my house while simultaneously recording all ambient video and audio....I would be pleased as that would be a serious upgrade!
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C:Amie Page Icon Posted 2017-03-08 3:54 PM
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No, basically. The disclosed information so far speaks of keylogging, sandbox escaping, NTFS exploits, DLL zero days, .net framework exploits, USB, NetBIOS and more https://wikileaks.org/ciav7p1/cms/page_2621753.html

CE shares a lot of things in common with NT. .net code can execute on CE without recompile and memory buffer / remote exploits will often still work, including web.

Plus as your CE device has likely never been patched it is probably vulnerable to much worse by like likes of the CIA
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CE Geek Page Icon Posted 2017-03-09 6:32 AM
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Funny this comes up right now, since just before I came online here last night I was poking around the Pocket PC FAQ forums in the legacy Windows CE section, and found a thread whose original poster asked for recommendations about antivirus software for CE-based devices. The mod said basically what Rich said - that there has never been a documented virus infestation of a CE-based device. Then he mentioned one exception: an intentional controlled infestation for testing purposes. I kept saying that's a good selling point for CE, and thought maybe we should lend the CIA some H/PCs. But then C:Amie just burst my bubble.
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Mobi Page Icon Posted 2017-03-09 7:13 AM
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This seems like it would be so much more relevant if my 16-bit Compact Flash WiFi card was capable of connecting to my modern router. At this point, given my Jornada's complete isolation from the internet, it's the most secure device in my house.
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C:Amie Page Icon Posted 2017-03-10 9:15 AM
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Everything in security is relative.

CE shares a lot of the same code base with Windows NT, many of the buffer exploits that have been around for a decade or more will be prevalent and unpatched in CE. Yet this does not mean that someone is going to exploit them, neither does it mean that someone can use the same attack vector - for example a buffer overrun may lead to an elevation of privilege, this may let someone execute a program. So the buffer overrun might work, but the execution of code probably will not get them very far because they'll be trying to execute Win32 x86 code. Similarly, there are so few CE devices out there that it isn't much worth people writing malware for it. That does not however mean that they are immune to malware.

The platform itself has no execution security, no permissions framework for access to library or services, no firewall, no anti-malware, no service passwords (by default). Basically, everything you do not want on an internet connected device in 2017. Is it worth someones time to hack it though? A H/PC, probably not. A large multi-national's petrol pumps or ATM network... possibly, yes. They'll all be on private networks though with network layer security and intrusion detection... and not directly connected to the internet. So it will be much harder.
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