•Embedded system

–Any computer system that isn’t a general-purpose PC or server

•GPSs and ATMs

•Electronic consumer and industrial items

•Embedded operating system (OS)

–Small program developed for embedded systems

•Stripped-down version of OS commonly used on general-purpose computers

•Designed to be small and efficient

 

•Real-time operating system (RTOS)

–Typically used in devices such as programmable thermostats, appliance controls, and spacecraft

•Corporate buildings

–May have many embedded systems

•Firewalls, switches, routers, Web-filtering appliances, network attached storage devices, etc. 

•Embedded systems

–Are in all networks

–Perform essential functions

•Route network traffic; block suspicious packets

 

Windows and Other Embedded Operating Systems

 

•Recycling common code and reusing technologies

–Sound software engineering practices

–Also introduce common points of failure

•Viruses, worms, Trojans, and other attack vectors

•Windows and Linux vulnerabilities

–Might also exist in embedded version

•Windows CE

–Some source code is available to the public

•Code sharing is not common

•Microsoft believed it would increase adoptions

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•Windows Embedded Standard

–Provides full Windows API 

–Performs many of the same tasks as desktop version

–Designed for more advanced devices

•Complex hardware requirements

–Modular OS

•Unneeded features can be removed

 •Real-Time Executive for Multiprocessor Systems (RTEMS)

–Open-source embedded OS

–Used in space systems

•Supports processors designed to operate in space

•Using multiple embedded OSs

–Increases attack surface