Alternative to anti-malware on Windows Mobile phones

Alternative to anti-malware on Windows Mobile phones
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VR38DETT @ 1st Nov 10:29PM:
Alternative to anti-malware on Windows Mobile phones

I had a brief discussion with a friend over how users can remove malware off Windows Mobile devices. I brought up the fact that many anti-virus companies are now slowing but surely pushing out new products that are written specifically for these devices, and that users can protect their devices largely with these programs. But he waved his hand and claimed that a hard reset is all the users need to thoroughly clean up their devices.

Is performing a hard reset on a Windows Mobile device really the same as performing a reformat on a PC, in terms of malware clean-up?
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Cudni @ 2nd Nov 05:52AM:
Re: Alternative to anti-malware on Windows Mobile phones

said by VR38DETT :

Is performing a hard reset on a Windows Mobile device really the same as performing a reformat on a PC

Yes, it is the equivalent of

Cudni
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"what we know we know the same, what we don't know, we don't know it differently."
Help yourself so God can help you.
Microsoft MVP, 2006 - 2009
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JohnInSJ @ 2nd Nov 01:27PM:
Re: Alternative to anti-malware on Windows Mobile phones

The windows mobile protection racket, er, anti-malware market is completely useless.

A hard reset == dump all non-flash data, and boot as if fresh off the factory floor. The only way you're getting something surviving that is if its in your rom itself.

So, a Hard Reset is the same as a disk wipe, reformat, and reinstall from verified clean install media.
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EGeezer @ 2nd Nov 01:55PM:
Re: Alternative to anti-malware on Windows Mobile phones

Related questions;

Some mobile devices have auxiliary storage in the form of micro SD cards. When the devices are hard reset, does that also wipe the auxiliary storage clean?
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The greatest dangers to liberty lurk in insidious encroachment by men of zeal, well-meaning but without understanding. -- Justice Louis D. Brandeis
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Cudni @ 2nd Nov 02:49PM:
Re: Alternative to anti-malware on Windows Mobile phones

said by EGeezer :

When the devices are hard reset, does that also wipe the auxiliary storage clean?

usually not

Cudni
--
"what we know we know the same, what we don't know, we don't know it differently."
Help yourself so God can help you.
Microsoft MVP, 2006 - 2009
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JohnInSJ @ 2nd Nov 03:44PM:
Re: Alternative to anti-malware on Windows Mobile phones

But it does nuke the registry, so unless the "stupid user" re-installs the virus/malware, its just become more data laying around on the card.

Let's keep the protection racket away from mobile devices. We all win.
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anon @ 2nd Nov 08:34PM:
Re: Alternative to anti-malware on Windows Mobile phones

said by JohnInSJ :

The only way you're getting something surviving that is if its in your rom itself.

How easy is it for malware to infect the ROM itself?
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gregz @ 2nd Nov 08:36PM:
Re: Alternative to anti-malware on Windows Mobile phones

It is a Flash ROM, so very easy. I use Kaspersky on my mobile.
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xxTRAGEDYxx @ 2nd Nov 08:49PM:
Re: Alternative to anti-malware on Windows Mobile phones

I have a BlackBerry so Malware isn't a concern of mine. But I was going to suggest Kaspersky as the poster above me did.
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gregz @ 2nd Nov 10:01PM:
Re: Alternative to anti-malware on Windows Mobile phones

The plus side with Kaspersky is, if the phone is stolen, you can blow its contents away with a SMS with passcode to kill.
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joako @ 3rd Nov 01:48PM:
Re: Alternative to anti-malware on Windows Mobile phones

said by gregz :

It is a Flash ROM, so very easy. I use Kaspersky on my mobile.

I am not terribly familiar with flashing ROM on mobile phones, but it seems to me that on the fly modification of the ROM is not possible. As far as I know it would have to be a complete ROM that is flashed and that has to be done externally and probably has some sort of checksum/encryption to at the very least stop you from flashing an invalid or corrupt ROM.

Also just the number of devices on the market it is more likely that the malware bricks the device trying to mess with the ROM than it actually becomes infected.
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