a5cent
New member
If you would have clearly read my further comments, maybe what you said would have any credit.
I think my post stands on its own. I don't think anything you wrote afterwards is of much consequence. Make of it what you will.
If you would have clearly read my further comments, maybe what you said would have any credit.
It's no secret that a lot of people want a file manager on Windows Phone, but it doesn't necessarily mean they want the exact same kind as the system in Android or even their Windows PCs. Just think about it... What do people want to move around on their phones? It's media. It's .mp3s, .mp4s, .pdfs, .docx, etc. As long as Microsoft were to implement a file manager-like system that let people freely and easily move these media files around the phone, the need will be satisfied. A solution similar to Modern on Windows 8.1 where local files can be accessed via the OneDrive app would be good enough (for accessing and moving media files). If our PCs let us move docs/music/videos we download from other apps or even the browser freely, I don't get why the phone requires a conflicting paradigm shift.
I agree with you on the fact that a file manager can cause security concerns.But the thing is, WP can't run Windows programs & apps. Its market share is too less for malware creators to take much notice of it. Of course that does not mean that it will be perfectly safe from viruses. But you should remember, file manager or no file manager, if the cyber criminals would like to create viruses for WP they will do it & no one will be able to totally stop them from doing so. However, if you want to be perfectly safe from viruses on your WP, then you should start wishing that WP stops gaining market share & remain below 4% worldwide. But I do not want that, and to increase the market share MS will have to bring those features to WP which other OSs have. I have seen many phones with file managers, & none have been affected by malware(Androids too).That depends on what your definition of security is. Security is not just about minimizing the chance of malware infections across a network. It's also about keeping people's data private and safe, and malware is by far not the only threat to such things. Security even includes protecting users from themselves. It is a very large field.
I can even provide some anecdotal evidence from personal experience, explaining how the Windows file manager was instrumental in helping malware delete a few gigabytes worth of photographs. My girlfriend spent some time traveling Asia. She would occasionally stop by in internet caf?s to upload her travel documentation to the web, and to transfer her photographs from her camera to one of her USB drives. It was probably in such a caf? where she picked up malware, which was really just an executable file (*.exe) that had at some point been run on the infected host. The malware ensured that the windows file manager was configured to "not show file extensions for known file types". It then made all the folders on the USB drive "hidden", and then copied itself to the USB drive, once for every folder it had previously hidden, and in that process, took on the names of those folders.
This piece of malware was extremely trivial, just a normal exe file, with an icon that looked exactly like a Windows folder. Because the file extensions where hidden, she didn't realize that by clicking on the folder icon, she was not actually opening a folder, but rather launching a malware infested executable. Of course, the malware would then cause windows explorer to navigate to the corresponding hidden folder, so it didn't look like anything was wrong.
A few weeks later, when the USB drive was close to full, she clicked on the "folder" again, which caused it to delete all her photographs and to create an endless number of junk files in their place.
This was an extremely unsophisticated and low tech attack, and good for nothing except doing harm, but it is an example of how a file manager can play a role in compromising security. There are many far more sophisticated approaches.
I agree with you on the fact that a file manager can cause security concerns.But the thing is, WP can't run Windows programs & apps. Its market share is too less for malware creators to take much notice of it. Of course that does not mean that it will be perfectly safe from viruses. But you should remember, file manager or no file manager, if the cyber criminals would like to create viruses for WP they will do it & no one will be able to totally stop them from doing so. However, if you want to be perfectly safe from viruses on your WP, then you should start wishing that WP stops gaining market share & remain below 4% worldwide. But I do not want that, and to increase the market share MS will have to bring those features to WP which other OSs have. I have seen many phones with file managers, & none have been affected by malware(Androids too).
Hey a5cent, I never did say that since I've not been affected by malware, it means that nobody has. How can you automatically assume that I'm not thinking on a global scale. I'm just giving an example that including a file manager does not necessarily mean that you will be affected by malware. MS should definitely focus on WP security but to say that a file manager is such a big security concern IS exaggeration. If a file manager is a big security concern then at least 60-70% of Android users would be affected by malware and some more on iOS since you earlier said that Apple provides the APIs for apps to help provide access to files.Hey ronty, unfortunately, I don't really understand what point you are trying to make.
- Yes, WP doesn't have the market share to be an attractive target for malware developers. So what? Does that mean MS can ignore WP security? Of course not.
- I do not expect any OS anywhere to ever be perfectly safe from malware. No man made IT system ever will be. This discussion is not about being perfectly secure or being entirely insecure. It's about where an OS lies between those two extremes.
- It should be obvious that just because you haven't been affected by malware, doesn't mean nobody has. Unfortunately, humans suck at thinking on a global scale. If we don't know anybody who was infected by malware on Android, most will automatically assume the problem doesn't exist. People have difficulties believing that millions of people in Russia may be having a completely different Android security experience than they are in their own countries. All anyone needs to do is a little research. The actual extent is exaggerated on both sides of course. Google/Android friendly publications won't admit a problem exists, and security researchers selling malware detection and removal tools have a lot of incentive to overstate the problem. The truth lies somewhere in between, but that still amounts to millions of dollars being stolen by way of Android malware.
One virus infected 500,000 users a while back.Give me the name of one virus found on Android.
I agree with you on the fact that a file manager can cause security concerns.But the thing is, WP can't run Windows programs & apps. Its market share is too less for malware creators to take much notice of it. Of course that does not mean that it will be perfectly safe from viruses. But you should remember, file manager or no file manager, if the cyber criminals would like to create viruses for WP they will do it & no one will be able to totally stop them from doing so. However, if you want to be perfectly safe from viruses on your WP, then you should start wishing that WP stops gaining market share & remain below 4% worldwide. But I do not want that, and to increase the market share MS will have to bring those features to WP which other OSs have. I have seen many phones with file managers, & none have been affected by malware(Androids too).
I'm still at a loss as to why this conversation is still going.
That depends on what your definition of security is. Security is not just about minimizing the chance of malware infections across a network. It's also about keeping people's data private and safe, and malware is by far not the only threat to such things. Security even includes protecting users from themselves. It is a very large field.
I can even provide some anecdotal evidence from personal experience, explaining how the Windows file manager was instrumental in helping malware delete a few gigabytes worth of photographs. My girlfriend spent some time traveling Asia. She would occasionally stop by in internet caf?s to upload her travel documentation to the web, and to transfer her photographs from her camera to one of her USB drives. It was probably in such a caf? where she picked up malware, which was really just an executable file (*.exe) that had at some point been run on the infected host. The malware ensured that the windows file manager was configured to "not show file extensions for known file types". It then made all the folders on the USB drive "hidden", and then copied itself to the USB drive, once for every folder it had previously hidden, and in that process, took on the names of those folders.
This piece of malware was extremely trivial, just a normal exe file, with an icon that looked exactly like a Windows folder. Because the file extensions where hidden, she didn't realize that by clicking on the folder icon, she was not actually opening a folder, but rather launching a malware infested executable. Of course, the malware would then cause windows explorer to navigate to the corresponding hidden folder, so it didn't look like anything was wrong.
A few weeks later, when the USB drive was close to full, she clicked on the "folder" again, which caused it to delete all her photographs and to create an endless number of junk files in their place.
This was an extremely unsophisticated and low tech attack, and good for nothing except doing harm, but it is an example of how a file manager can play a role in compromising security. There are many far more sophisticated approaches.
when Microsoft does finally figure out how to do it on phones like everyone/everywhere else has been for years, I'll personally send them an air-high-five.
...because people want to see the damn file manager solution! The ambiguity is killing people, so this discussion is all anxiety.
Sorry to ask you,but where did I say about a file manager via USB? I too want a file manager on the phone itself.Arrgh, file manager on the Phone is what we mean! Do you really think Microsoft would have a file manager via usb?
Um, iPhone doesn't have a built in file manger. You need an app for that.
didn't see the iPhone deflection coming.
thanks for the info about what iPhone -can- do, I don't own one myself. i'll edit my post now to see the point easier.
if folks want to believe that file access is impossible to implement for a software company, that's cool
iPhone needs an app, I stand corrected, but its apparently possible on iPhone