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ZDNet have put out a story claiming that, although Apple's walled-garden approach is not popular with everybody, it does appear to have prevented almost all malware from becoming prevalent on iOS. From the article:
Everyone knows there's no iOS malware, right? Strictly speaking, there is. As a practical matter, there isn't. At least if you stick with the official Apple store, you are more likely to win Powerball than to be hit by iOS malware.
But to make that "strictly speaking" point, FortiGuard Labs's Axelle Apvrille ("the Crypto Girl") felt it necessary to list all the iOS malware on record all 11 instances, eight of which work only on jailbroken phones.
[....]
It's not like iOS isn't an inviting target. There are zillions of devices out there and iOS customers have shown that they are willing to spend money on apps. And there absolutely are ways that iPhones can be attacked, although more likely through vulnerabilities, especially in Safari, than through malicious apps.
In fact, Apple's rules for what it will allow in its App Store are so strict that they effectively ban security software. It's a good thing there is next to no malware, because what you would need to do to block it on your phone is not permitted. Android, on the other hand, has a burgeoning market for security software and no shortage of malware.
Do you agree with this assessment?
(Score: 3, Insightful) by lajos on Saturday June 14 2014, @01:03PM
how about built in malware like facebook?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday June 14 2014, @02:48PM
> how about built in malware like facebook?
100% agreement on this sentiment. It isn't that iOS is risk-free, it is just that the set of applicable risks aren't what (most) people yet understand to be risks. Same sort of thing happened when viruses and trojans were relatively new - most people didn't realize that viewing a spreadsheet attached to an email was a risk. Our understanding of our own vulnerabilities is a constant evolution.
(Score: 2) by BasilBrush on Saturday June 14 2014, @06:13PM
Just because you don't like a service, doesn't make it malware.
Hurrah! Quoting works now!
(Score: 2) by everdred on Monday June 16 2014, @10:07PM
Over-simplifying what GP said does not make you correct either.
Here's a test for malware: give the average Facebook user a plain-language list of ways in which their data can be "legitimately" used under the ToS, and see how many uses they would classify as going against their wishes.
(Score: 2) by BasilBrush on Tuesday June 17 2014, @08:56PM
That isn't remotely the definition of malware. Again, just because you don't like their service, doesn't make it malware.
Hurrah! Quoting works now!
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Tork on Saturday June 14 2014, @07:25PM
🏳️🌈 Proud Ally 🏳️🌈
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday June 14 2014, @08:19PM
> Are you really sure you want to compare that to having a Google account in charge of all your contacts etc on the phone?
Fortunately that is not a requirement. [tomsguide.com] Which ought to be have been obvious given the context of android not being locked down. But, never let facts get in the way of a good zinger!
(Score: 2) by Tork on Saturday June 14 2014, @08:31PM
🏳️🌈 Proud Ally 🏳️🌈