6 ms·
> I wish I could run any code on it But by extension that means any bad guy can run any unsigned code on it as well. Look at the prevalence of Android malware
by mike_d 6y ago
> I wish I could run any code on it
But by extension that means any bad guy can run any unsigned code on it as well.
Look at the prevalence of Android malware to iOS. The latter basically doesn't exist outside of well funded nation states.
- munk-a 6y agoApple does an extremely poor job of software inspection - they have API limiters that are quite effective at shutting down a lot of the malicious-to-device software people might write but privacy concerns are impossible for them to cover. Depending on how you define unsigned code your statement is either quite correct or extremely inaccurate and I think issues like privacy and data tracking are, honestly, more noticeable and impactful to the average non-techy user than your phone being part of a botnet.
- mike_d 6y ago"Hide my Email for Sign in", killing advertising identifiers, preventing cross app tracking, etc. are all things that can only exist on a platform where code is signed and sandboxed. Is Apple's app store vetting or API restrictions perfect? No, of course not. But it is a million times better than any other platform.
- Mindwipe 6y agoThe former basically doesn't exist in Western nations either, so I'm not sure what the point is here. A well designed permissions system means what code runs is up to the user.
- mike_d 6y agoIn 2019 Kaspersky Labs identified over 3 million unique Android malware samples. iOS malware is so rare AV companies usually issue press releases about finding them (like LightSpy). The reason you might not know about Xerxes, SMSreg, Cerberus, LokiBot, BlackRock, FunkyBot, UpDroid, etc. is because another Android malware family isn't newsworthy.
- jefft255 6y agoUnless Apple really screws up, that malware would have to be downloaded and installed by me. If I "flip a switch" and enable that option, that's on me. PCs have always been like this and no one bats an eye. I'd be willing to accept that risk; hey, Apple could make flipping that switch really freaking difficult if they wanted too, I wouldn't mind. Just as long as I have the option.
- surfpel 6y agoThere are many tech illiterate people in this world, and many who would be easy prey to someone pulling a scam, getting them to flip that switch.
- jefft255 6y agoMy answer to that is: what about PCs? Of course you're right, and I'm right too (I'd like to think ahah). This is freedom at the cost of security; this trade-off, as in real life, has no simple solution. I certainly don't pretend to have the answer here.
- ac29 6y agoLife has risks - you could fall off a ladder and injure yourself, but we dont outlaw them because as a society we recognize that they are also useful tools.
- surfpel 6y ago> Life has risks - you could fall off a ladder and injure yourself Great analogy actually. Ladders are dangerous, yes - but we don’t make them necessary to daily life and they’re certainly not something most people interact with
- dijit 6y agoMy girlfriend has an iPhone and an android phone. She is 29, she has accidentally installed malware from the play store, multiple times. Anecdote yes, but the fact it happened in my house and more than once opened my eyes significantly to the problem. My grandparents have no chance if my girlfriend gets got. You and I live in a microcosm, most people on this site have a very finely tuned bullshit filter. Don’t assume everyone does, even the young.
- dogma1138 6y agoYou can run any code on it already as a developer.
- deleted 6y ago[deleted]