Bet you didn’t realize that your crash-prone Windows Mobile smartphone is secure enough to handle government and military duty, did you? Well, actually, the Windows Mobile platform is quite stable and secure – the main reason that WinMo gets such a bad rap from a stability standpoint is because of all those third-party applications that muddle up the OS. The other reason has to do with the way Windows Mobile handles memory usage, but we won’t get into that here.
Even the crap-ware and UI tweaks from a wireless carrier can cause the Windows Mobile OS to get a little nervous. So, it no surprise that one of the most open mobile OSs is always catching flak for its twitchy nature.
Rest assured, fellow Window Mobile fan. That smartphone in your pocket is now officially running an OS that is robust enough for secure and clandestine military duty. Microsoft has announced that their Windows Mobile 5 and 6 mobile operating systems have just earned a couple coveted Federal security certifications. That means the WM5/6 platform is cleared to run combat and reconnaissance missions, battlefield medical triage, logistical support, and other secure operations.
Windows Mobile 5.0 and Windows Mobile 6.0 are certified for:
- Common Criteria Evaluation Assurance Level 2+ (EAL2+) status
- Approval by the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) Security Technical Implementation Guide (STIG)
The new EAL2+ certification ensures that any global operation can use the Windows Mobile platform with the assurance that it will be recognized worldwide by the 24 member countries of the Common Criteria Recognition Arrangement (CCRA). And, Windows Mobile has been cleared by the Defense Information Systems Agency to access secured networks according to the Security Technical Implementation Guides (STIGs).
Randy Siegel, enterprise mobility strategist for Microsoft Federal, said, “By reaching these security milestones, Windows Mobile provides government agencies the tremendous cost benefit of rapidly deploying commercial off-the-shelf software solutions.”
You’ll probably never get to put any of those fancy acronyms to good use with your Windows Mobile smartphone, but it’s nice to know that camo-ed special forces units could quite possibly be using the same OS in some far-off jungle.