Pocket PC virus

[pshek]

With a growing amount of PDA units being sold, do you believe that there is a real threat of viruses targetted at the Pocket PC OS? How would such a virus reach your PDA? I take it that desktop AV software is not designed to filter out any PPC specific threats, but would it require you to physically place the file on the PDA yourself before it became an issue? Any info on this would be appreciated.

[Steven Cedrone]

With a growing amount of PDA units being sold, do you believe that there is a real threat of viruses targetted at the Pocket PC OS? How would such a virus reach your PDA? I take it that desktop AV software is not designed to filter out any PPC specific threats, but would it require you to physically place the file on the PDA yourself before it became an issue? Any info on this would be appreciated.

Nah, there are no Pocket PC specific threats out there, not yet anyway. If anything you could use your Pocket PC to inadvertantly spread a virus (copying infected data to a CF/SD card, then bringing it to another machine). But as long as the Desktop machines you use with your device have decent AV software, I would say you wouldn't have a problem.

But if you look for it, the AV companies would love to sell you Pocket PC versions of their award winning software! :wink:

Steve

[CoreyJF]

As more people use there PDA wirelessly, it will become an issue.

[pshek]

I've had a look at the TrendMicro AV software (Which is free so doesn't hurt). Looking at the virus info they have there are quite a list of virii, such as aa.506, june12-c and zharinov-m. A google search for the last one didn't yield any results. Do you think this is scaremongering?

*edit* Looking at the TrendMicro site reveals this to be a virus which causes hard drive problems. I don't think this would actually have any effect on an IPAQ but why even list it otherwise? */edit*

[Janak Parekh]

Chances are the Trend Micro catches these viruses so you can't forward an email with an attachment, for example, to another desktop user. I doubt any of them will actually infect your Pocket PC itself.

--janak

[Deus]

I have talked about this issue many times. It would take an unusual person to write a Pocket PC virus as many who write them are out to do as most damage as possible. Pocket PCs don't offer as good a means as a Windows desktop machine.