Configuring Security on Windows Mobile Devices

A device’s security model consists of a set of security settings and the certificates present in the device's certificate stores. The security model determines whether an application can run and/or install and the accompanying level of trust for applications that run and/or install. For more information, see How Device Security Affects Application Execution.

Developers often must change a device's security configuration for the following reasons:

  • To simulate hypothetical security settings on a variety of devices.

  • To enable an application to run.

  • To reset a device to its original security configuration.

You can manage a device's security configuration from either the Device Security Manager in the Visual Studio integrated development environment (IDE) or by using the RapiConfig.exe configuration tool at a command prompt.

The Device Security Manager

The Device Security Manager is a graphical user interface (GUI) that enables you to perform the following tasks:

  • View or change security settings on a connected device or emulator.

  • Apply a standard security configuration to a device.

  • Apply a custom configuration to a connected device.

  • Export a device's security configuration settings to a desktop computer.

  • Add certificates from the development computer to the device's certificate store.

  • Remove certificates from a device's certificate store.

To start the Device Security Manager, click Device Security Manager on the Tools menu. By default, the Device Security Manager shows the Security configuration pane. Click Certificate Management to switch to the Certificate Management pane. For more information, see Device Security Configuration Overview and Device Certificate Management Overview.

RapiConfig.exe

RapiConfig.exe is a desktop configuration tool that enables you to provision and query a device. For more information, see How to: Configure Security on Windows Mobile Devices from a Command Prompt.

See Also

Reference

Windows Mobile-based Device Security Model

Device Management Architecture