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Android's security is actaully fantastic. The problem is the inability for google to distribute security updates. In 6.0 I now get monthly security updates and

Android's security is actaully fantastic. The problem is the inability for google to distribute security updates. In 6.0 I now get monthly security updates and there is even a "security update version" of like "november 2015" in the status. The latest junk even made it into Android 4.1 devices for security updates. But that is neither here nor there, the fact that we have 4.1 devices is a problem.

tptacek 11y ago
Android's system security design is inferior to that of iOS. But, iOS's superiority (a) derives in significant part from Apple's total control over the hardware platform†, and (b) comes at the cost of a lot of user control tradeoffs that nerds like us tend to hate. Really, to suggest that Android's security is at parity with Apple's, you'd have to be arguing that Apple does a terrible job at exploiting their inherent advantages of control over hardware and control over what's allowed to run on the platform. Apple does not do a terrible job at those things. † Yes, Google controls some of their hardware, but they have an ongoing support requirement for a lot of hardware they have no control over at all, and will have that requirement forever, which limits their options.
- lern_too_spel 11y ago
  On the other hand, I'm unaware of any automated analysis of applications on the iTunes App Store, dynamic or static. Doing this properly isn't in Apple's DNA. For example, when XcodeGhost apps infected some hundreds of millions of users, it took Apple days to take down the affected apps, seemingly waiting for third party reports instead of simply scanning the entire store for the XcodeGhost signature themselves.
  - tptacek 11y ago
    That's true. My friend is doing a company to address that now: https://sourcedna.com/ https://sourcedna.com/
pjmlp 11y ago
My 4.3, 4.4 and 5.0 devices from Samsung and Asus (operator free) are yet to receive the said updates.

tptacek 11y ago

Android's system security design is inferior to that of iOS. But, iOS's superiority (a) derives in significant part from Apple's total control over the hardware platform†, and (b) comes at the cost of a lot of user control tradeoffs that nerds like us tend to hate. Really, to suggest that Android's security is at parity with Apple's, you'd have to be arguing that Apple does a terrible job at exploiting their inherent advantages of control over hardware and control over what's allowed to run on the platform. Apple does not do a terrible job at those things. † Yes, Google controls some of their hardware, but they have an ongoing support requirement for a lot of hardware they have no control over at all, and will have that requirement forever, which limits their options.

lern_too_spel 11y ago
On the other hand, I'm unaware of any automated analysis of applications on the iTunes App Store, dynamic or static. Doing this properly isn't in Apple's DNA. For example, when XcodeGhost apps infected some hundreds of millions of users, it took Apple days to take down the affected apps, seemingly waiting for third party reports instead of simply scanning the entire store for the XcodeGhost signature themselves.
- tptacek 11y ago
  That's true. My friend is doing a company to address that now: https://sourcedna.com/ https://sourcedna.com/

pjmlp 11y ago

My 4.3, 4.4 and 5.0 devices from Samsung and Asus (operator free) are yet to receive the said updates.