Messaging and Security Feature Pack
6th June, TechEd USA, Steve Ballmer announced the Messaging and Security Feature Pack for Windows Mobile 5.0.
In conjunction with Exchange SP2 this brings push e-mail to Windows Mobile 5.0 devices by using a direct link from Exchange server to device with no middle ware server required. There are several interesting new features available for managing remote devices including password enforcement and remote (and local) device wipe as well as message compression coming in the SP2 pack as well.
Exchange SP2 will ship in the second half of 2005 and the feature pack will be made available to operator / OEM as an update for existing Windows Mobile 5.0 devices as well as being incorporated in the default image for newer devices.
More information here: https://www.microsoft.com/windowsmobile/business/5/default.mspx
and here: https://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2005/jun05/06-06SFPWindowsMobilePR.mspx
Marcus
Comments
- Anonymous
June 14, 2005
Hi Marcus! One thing that puzzled me at the MEDC was the device wipe facility supported by the Feature Pack and Exchange SP2. Is it true that it wipes the data and then hardware-resets the device? Doesn't that leave the thief with a perfectly usable and eminently desirable bit of kit? Wouldn't it be better to wipe the data and leave it password protected, so the thief wouldn't even benefit from the hardware? I understand the need to protect the data, but it seems a missed opportunity to reduce the incentive for the theft in the first place, which is more likely to be the hardware than the data on it. - Anonymous
June 14, 2005
Interesting read! Source: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmobile/business/5/default.mspx
The Messaging... - Anonymous
June 14, 2005
I Was thinking that too, as the only other thing you would need to do is replace the sim card. BUT, the phone companies could "block" the IMEI of the phone and stop it being used. They could also trace the IMEI and find out the number that uses it and so the person who has the stolen phone! - Anonymous
June 15, 2005
Matt has a good point that if the device is left in a totally unusable state by having a password installed or by physically breaking the hardware then theft for the sake of the device becomes much less attractive.
The current tools wipe the user ROM area completely (remember WM5.0 uses ROM space for user data on both PPC and SP) leaving no residual information. That’s the simplest and most complete solution that will be in the MSFP.
I suppose the challenge would be how to ensure the device is cleaned, but remember that the cause was a remote wipe so that a password can be set following the hard reset... Possible, but not straight forward!
Who sets the password? If it’s generic to all devices then there is little protection. If it’s pushed from the exchange server then the 'secret' has to be transmitted and could be compromised. Even so, what happens if the device is wiped through failed login attempts - the password can’t be sent from the exchange server as its not there. Maybe the user sets the 'admin' password at initialization - then we have data surviving a device reset which means it’s not truly 'clean'.
Good suggestion tho, I will pass it on to MED.
Marcus - Anonymous
June 16, 2005
Thanks Marcus - I can see the problem and as you say, it's not as simple as it looks. One solution would be for the administrator to have a mechanism for informing the service provider who then automatically decommissions the phone services on the device. Or perhaps the device could be booted up into some kind of 'self destruct' mode - a bit wasteful, but if the device has been stolen... - Anonymous
May 17, 2006
Do you know how to enable exchange push to send emails that are routed to subdirecories?
I get mail that is delivered to my inbox but none of the mail that is routed via rules to directories underneath the inbox. so for example I get email to my inbox but if I get one from a customer and a rule moves it to inbox->customers then I wont get it.
Gotta be a way to do it....
Thanks