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Editorial: Is the Handheld PC Really Anti-Virus?

C:Amie Page Icon Posted 2006-08-28 3:06 PM
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Security, Security, Security. The three S's of almost any form of personal computing in the 21st century. For mobile device users the concept of device security amongst the cacophony of security alerts, scares and best intended advice is almost nonexistent.
So where in reality does the Handheld PC stand, and should you be worried? HPC:Factor Editor-in-Chief Chris Tilley take a comprehensive look at where Windows CE stands in terms of security, and asks the question: is the H/PC really anti-virus?

View: Is the Handheld PC Really Anti-Virus?
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insurgent Page Icon Posted 2006-08-28 3:27 PM
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hmmm...the picture seems to be missing QQ

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C:Amie Page Icon Posted 2006-08-28 4:49 PM
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Your jealousy shows right through, transparent as glass

I guess we can't all be as devilishly handsome as me
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Yoldering Page Icon Posted 2006-08-28 4:57 PM
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Excellent as always.
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chiark Page Icon Posted 2006-08-29 11:27 AM
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han·som (han's?m) pronunciation
n.

A two-wheeled covered carriage with the driver's seat above and behind. Also called hansom cab.
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CE Geek Page Icon Posted 2006-08-29 12:45 PM
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Nice to know I'm not the only proofreader here.
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takwu Page Icon Posted 2006-09-02 3:06 AM
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yay, it's online

I use McAfee VirusScan, and IIRC it does scan the device connected to ActiveSync. Although I never figured what exactly it does in that area, but I suppose it monitors the traffic going to and from the device? Does anyone know?
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C:Amie Page Icon Posted 2006-09-02 6:48 AM
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takwu,

I cannot say that I'm familiar with current versions of the McAfee PDA scan engine. On AV 6/7 it used to be that it monitored the connection -and- that there was a PDA scanner app you could run on the host to scan the device, storage cards, NVRAM etc via the ActiveSync conduit.

Have a look in the installation folder takwu, see if you can find a separate .exe that brings up the PDA scan engine. It would be interesting to know if McAfee have added heuristic logic to it yet - in 6/7 it did not support it.

The beauty of a host solution in my opinion is that it will protect the recipient PC from any x86 or host exploitable code you pickup from your PDA web browsing/attachments/BT and IR beaming. In the case of McAffee it also means no extra AV cost and no over-head on the device. I believe things differ there with Symantec because it's a stand-alone product (buy why would you want to use a Symantec AV product?.... I have to ask)
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takwu Page Icon Posted 2006-09-02 1:45 PM
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Hmm installation folder? Well in the Virusscan foler I found only the email module, IM module, and the command handler which does everything else i suppose.

There are very few options in the current version now (ver 10). I can't even control heuristics, and cannot find options for the ActiveSync scanning anymore. I just hope they haven't taken anything out.
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woodsmoke
woodsmoke Page Icon Posted 2007-03-28 11:00 PM
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I'm running PocketPC2003 on a Viewsonic VS36, long story short, found out I could do WiFi with a Sandisk card, way too expensive, found a Spectec instead but couldn't get IE to see it...the device saw it immediately with the drivers from ViewSonic and SpecTec....

Spent a LONG time trying to find other drivers and ran across ....

Mozilla Minimo....and one click, the thing installed through activesync and I was on the net immediately, it even ASKED me for a WEP key at the j/c whereat I teach, took no work on my part at all...

Sooo....... a question for discussion....

Would the combination of the WinCE strengths enumerated in the article...AND the combination with Minimo.... radically increase the "relative safety" of the device?

http://www.mozilla.org/

I'll drop in tomorrow top check...

Nice forum and the avatars are kewl!
woodsmoke
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x-soar
x-soar Page Icon Posted 2007-04-12 8:23 PM
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avast! has a free hpc version now!
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BOB_03_ELLIOTT
BOB_03_ELLIOTT Page Icon Posted 2007-11-12 2:00 AM
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IF you are on line you will get it NO?

BOB
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ZSX Page Icon Posted 2008-02-27 4:12 PM
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I've seen this on the newswire:

Infojack Trojan burrows into Windows CE machines.

The Register is suggesting that it affects CE devices, and it appears to use a cab installer, but the writeup from McAfee suggests it is only for Windows Mobile Pocket PCs.

Cause for concern?
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C:Amie Page Icon Posted 2008-02-28 5:16 AM
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I would need to have a look at it and pull it apart a little to find that out. The fact that the autorun issue isn't a problem for *most* of us, makes it less of an issue.
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