Anti-Virus Software for Windows CE ??

SALOPMAN

Have just had an ALLFINE 7 notebook - ok its simple and not over complicated but it does connect quite quick to WiFi and thats all I want it for when Im away for the odd night checking emails and diary etc etc.
What worries me is that there is no in built anti virus software and you cant seem to get any for WINDOWS CE System - yep I know its old and outdated lol, some people on net have said you dont need it for CE but just wondered if anyone else had had the same problem?
:beer:

esuhl

I'm not entirely sure about this, but since Windows CE is an embedded system, doesn't that mean that malware would be unable to modify the OS (as it is embedded in hardware, rather than loaded as software)...?

How do you find Windows CE, by the way? I know it's not the "full Windows experience", but I was curious about how useful it is, whether there are any problems with websites (can you view Flash videos on YouTube, for example?). Can I ask how much you paid for the netbook?

edgex

WinCE is embedded, & is a completely different kernel to any other version of windows, & runs on completely different processor designs.
id be surprised if anyone had ever even written any virus/malware that worked on WinCE across the board.
as for running av software, the os is so cut down, & the hardware so restricted, that you probably cant even get one to run.

as for flash, there isnt a flash player that runs on WinCE

JasX

You'll be ok with no AV on windows CE -basically you have an oversized pocket calculator. You no more need AV on windows CE than you do on your actualy pocket calculator or mobile phone (the latter of which is quite likely running on a variant of WindowsCE anyways -WM5, WM6 etc)

fwor

It's not ~strictly~ true to say that Windows CE is unlike anything else. The kernel was originally based on that of Windows 95, and I'd bet that many of the APIs will be the same as 95. There were a number of reports of trojans written specifically to exploit WinCE in 2008 - though I would not be surprised if they were written as "proof of concept" by computer security firms as a profit-generating exercise rather than genuine "in the wild" exploits.

Anyway, I'd agree with the main conclusions above - it's such an old OS with so few users now that I doubt any current malware writer would even consider it as a worthwhile target.