Microsoft have now announced much more about their plans for Windows 8 running on ARM architecture including the somewhat curious decision to support the full Windows desktop, even though almost nothing can run on it. But the fact that the desktop exists at all, and this means that it might be possible to install software that doesn’t come directly from the new Windows Store, leaves an interesting malware question mark over the platform.
So far, Windows 8 on ARM is the most malware resistant operating system on the planet! I’ve always wanted to say that but this time it’s actually true No malware at all exists that can infect this platform as nobody’s been able to write anything for it yet. Thus, Windows 8 on ARM for the primary reason that it will be an embedded OS, will go on to be the most secure version of the operating system ever. This won’t stop some forms of malware that try to trick users into giving up sensitive details, especially in the desktop version of Internet Explorer that will still support plug-ins (but ONLY ARM-encoded plug-ins I might add!) but nothing will be able to attack the operating system directly. This will make Windows 8 on ARM just like iOS, QNX or WebOS in being malware resistant. I’m leaving Android out of this as Google don’t monitor apps as they’re submitted and thus the platform does have a malware problem.
But this question mark over the Windows desktop and whether you will be able to install apps separately from the Windows store still needs to be answered. What’s more another question Microsoft have yet to answer is whether Windows 8′s new in-built anti-virus software, Windows Defender, a rebadged version of Microsoft Security Essentials, will also be in the ARM version of the OS. In theory there’s no need to ever have it, or any other anti-virus protection on the ARM platform. With Microsoft vetting everything that comes through the Windows store, and only downloadable malware to worry about it again will be as secure as iOS, QNX and WebOS, where the majority of tablets run fine with no anti-malware protection whatsoever.
I do find it curious that Microsoft aren’t yet addressing these problems. It’s very likely, and I will expect this, for Microsoft to say that the ARM devices will ONLY support apps and software from the Windows Store. It’s also likely that nobody will ever release desktop software for WIndows on ARM either as the market for such programs will be too small to justify the enormous development costs. The ARM desktop then will only ever be used for six programs. File Explorer (formerly known as Windows Explorer), Internet Explorer (for which no plug-ins with the possible exception of Flash will ever exist) and Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote (none of which in all likelihood will support VB scripts or Macros).
I’m left wondering then if Windows 8 running on ARM processors could truly be as secure as the competition. This is Windows and Microsoft though so you can imagine why I’m having a nagging doubt. The company’s track record with security in Windows isn’t exactly stellar. Windows 7 with User Account Control might be a nice and secure platform to work on, but nobody in their right mind would ever consider using it without having some type of malware protection installed. There will still be the WIndows SmartScreen protection, but will this help? You need an active Internet Connection to use it and how effective can it be anticipating threats that don’t yet exist?
