Do PPC viruses really exist?
 

Saw an anti-virus program on handango the other day. No way I would buy that since my ppc seems virus free.

Why haven't the antivirus people succeeded in putting these things in the wild? Or am I just strange that I've not gotten them? I know the macs are also mostly virus-free, but it seems by good design largely. Seems like my pcs are always infected with stuff.

Any comments or experience?

Edited by JackSchitt28:
think about what you are typing before you type it :)

Probably because not many people are programming viruses for pocketpc. Then add to that the fact that pretty much every pockepc device sits behind a router whether its your wireless router at home or the cell phone companies routers. Pocket outlook isnt the same as outlook so the viruses that attack via email are probably ignored by pocket outlook as well. you would have to literally load an infected file into your sd/minisd/microsd and run it in your ppc to get a virus at the moment.

Viruses for the PocketPC DO Exist, however this is not cause to spend $40.00 on a version for the PocketPC. You need to remember that most PPC Devices have 4 typers of wireless communication.

1)IR- It would be possable to "beam" a virus
2)Bluetooth- Though not easy to set up there are many bluetooth exploits in existance, (google Bluesnarfing and Bluejacking)
3)WiFi- Though WiFi is normally firewalled, it is still possable to use it to relay data. Most routers use a NAT firewall which blocks incomming ports, not outgoing...
4)CellPhone- Cellphone connections are very strange, even though they are behind the phone company routers, I was able to access my phone rather easily using VNC, No Port settings needed

I thought there were no PPC virus because there was almost no point to them... that's what I recall reading about it. Have you encountered any virus, or read about them somewhere else? I'd be interested in knowing more...

I will post this here, but it is not inteneded to make people paranoid, Currently there are 2 for the PocketPC and 4 for the PalmOS

WinCE4.Dust - THIS WAS ONLY A PROOF OF CONCEPT AND NEVER RELEASED.

Backdoor.Brador.A - First PocketPC Virus intended to do harm... Read symptoms below

Brador identifies the IP address of the infected handheld and sends it to the remote malicious user to inform him that the handheld is connected to the Internet and that the backdoor is active. Brador then opens port 2989 and awaits further orders.

The backdoor responds to the following commands:

d - lists the directory contents
f - closes the session
g - uploads a file
m - displays MessageBox
p - downloads a file
r - executes the specified command

Maybe there aren't many viruses because if you got one you could easily do a hard reset and be up and running under an hour. Doesn't seem like it would do that much damage.

I believe the WinCE4.dust was created in Europe by a cell phone manufactuer to prove that windows mobile can become infected. This was done when windows mobile first made it to the cellular market.

Thats the story...

dmercurio1, In some cases a Hard reset may not resolve... The virus can set itself to autostart when the SD Card is inserted or infect ActiveSync and you could re-infect yourself

... Fugureatively speaking of course