Hacker Claims Windows Phone The Most Secure Smartphone OS

Megalith

Megalith

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What Mobile has interviewed a white-hat hacker who, while speaking on data security and mobile safety, suggests that Microsoft’s offering is better off than its competitors for security-minded individuals.

All have benefits and drawbacks. Currently Windows Phone seems to be the hardest nut to crack. Blackberry has a long history of being very security-focused. If I have physical access to the device, I find Android’s usually the easiest target. Then comes iPhone, then older versions of BlackBerry. If it’s over a network or I have to attack via email or message, Android’s usually the softest target.
 
As someone who is generally pro-Microsoft, it pains me to say this, but it's pretty obvious why Windows Phone is the "most secure". No one cares enough about barely used niche operating systems to even bother hacking it.
 
Would that says the same thing to OSX as well? It is not more secure than Windows OS, just 'cuz people don't even bother hacking it ...

GotNoRice said:
As someone who is generally pro-Microsoft, it pains me to say this, but it's pretty obvious why Windows Phone is the "most secure". No one cares enough about barely used niche operating systems to even bother hacking it.
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Windows phone is probably pretty decent on security, but it probably doesn't have as much scrutiny either. Source isn't available and it's not widely deployed makes it hard to find issues and not very rewarding if you do. Desktop windows exploits might apply in some cases, but those are fairly rare these days, and CPU and environment differences make it fiddly too.
 
There is some security by obscurity going on here but much of what's in Windows 10 Mobile is also in desktop Windows 10, Windows 10 is mostly a superset of Windows 10 Mobile.
 
MDboyz said:
Would that says the same thing to OSX as well? It is not more secure than Windows OS, just 'cuz people don't even bother hacking it ...
Click to expand...

OSX may have less usage than Windows, but it still amounted to ~17% of desktop OS market in North America as of September of this year. Additionally you have lots of ignorant wealthy people who use apple laptops just to be trendy, making it a tempting target. In comparison, Windows Phone OS has less than 2% of the North American market, and it's definitely not trendy to have a Windows Phone. Who is going to care about hacking it?
 
Ehh... it's not everything about US. WP is widely popular in many countries across EU.

GotNoRice said:
OSX may have less usage than Windows, but it still amounted to ~17% of desktop OS market in North America as of September of this year. Additionally you have lots of ignorant wealthy people who use apple laptops just to be trendy, making it a tempting target. In comparison, Windows Phone OS has less than 2% of the North American market, and it's definitely not trendy to have a Windows Phone. Who is going to care about hacking it?
Click to expand...
 
auntjemima said:
must be false then. you doubt it.
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Well I just don't see how with BB being who they are and what they make how Windows phone could be secure. I can break into any password protected Windows desktop system in a matter of minutes but yet Windows phone is some Fort Knox? You can't circumvent BB10 PW protection and you even need the password to connect it to your PC.

MDboyz said:
Soon there will be no more BB10. Their latest phone now is installed with Android.
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And what's that got to do with ANYTHING??? Also, there won't soon be no more BB10...it's still on the majority of their devices (minus one that JUST came out) so it isn't like it's going anywhere anytime soon.
 
You can gain root access to most mobile phones via baseband attacks (AT and provisioning commands). The best one takes advantage of architectures where the baseband processor shares memory with phone's OS. iOS devices, BB10 devices and even Windows phones are vulnerable. It all depends on the hardware was designed.
 
SparkedFire said:
I do, so... yeah.
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As do I. But I'm not delusional, Windows phones are well behind iOS and Android in its ecosystem. But if you do use Microsoft services like Groove Music, it has some advantages though one thing that's got the small Windows phone fan base upset these days is Microsoft's support of iOS and Android which is understandable on both sides. Considering the state of Windows you think that Microsoft would put its first best effort in mobile on Windows phones, until of course you look at the sate of Windows phones.

But the OS is pretty damn reliable and solid. Android, the new desktop Windows, does often exhibit some of the worst characteristics of Windows where as Windows phones, the new desktop Linux, often display the reliability that desktop Linux folks say of Linux.

But the ecosystem situation of Windows phones is pretty much putting at the edge on unviability for too many. One thing that really kills is Verizon's total disdain for the platform. Without Verizon support in the US, you're toast in phones.
 
GotNoRice said:
As someone who is generally pro-Microsoft, it pains me to say this, but it's pretty obvious why Windows Phone is the "most secure". No one cares enough about barely used niche operating systems to even bother hacking it.
Click to expand...

Yep most serious exploits are trying to maximize their damage/value, which is a lot harder to do on a platform that almost no one uses.

MacOS has been in a similar situation over the years because it was much less commonly used. A few more exploits have appeared now that it has gained some market share though (and it has a much greater market share in PCs than Windows Phone does in smartphones)
 
heatlesssun said:
But the OS is pretty damn reliable and solid. Android, the new desktop Windows, does often exhibit some of the worst characteristics of Windows where as Windows phones, the new desktop Linux, often display the reliability that desktop Linux folks say of Linux.
Click to expand...

Android really is everything that Windows Mobile should have been.
 
odditory said:
Android really is everything that Windows Mobile should have been.
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In some ways yes. In other ways no. More open sure. But not to the point of allowing easy access to malware which is probably to date the greatest failure on desktop Windows.
 
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