3 ms·

Why would having the ability to install sideloaded apps change this? Apps will not be able to just install themselves or other apps without prompting. And we've

Why would having the ability to install sideloaded apps change this? Apps will not be able to just install themselves or other apps without prompting. And we've already had zero-click exploits in Safari leading to entire phone rootkitting more than once without sideloading

ben_w 3y ago
> But before someone replies to point out that malware gets past the App Store tests: yes, of course it does, I see all this as a "defence in depth" strategy, not a silver bullet.
QuadmasterXLII 3y ago
Most of the apps I install are mandatory apps. It's not illegal to not have them, but if you don't install you can't access your doctor, file an insurance claim, bank, see your childs grades, enter the front door of your child's preschool, etc. All of these are malicious actors who will steal as much of my data as possible at all times, but I do actually need a preschool. As long as I can only install these through the app store, we are at an uneasy truce where these apps comply with app store rules.
- beeboobaa 3y ago
  The operating system can apply restrictions to apps, and in fact already does. It does not need the officially sanctioned store for this. You are arguing for detailed privacy controls for all apps (including those installed by Apple), which is a good thing to want!
naravara 3y ago
There are bad actors, like Facebook, who will prompt users to sideload so they can do bad things. If the bad actors were all shady fly-by-night looking companies it’d be one thing. But once the gates are opened, if it’s easy enough, you’ll see people being pressured to open the gates by all sorts of companies that they will have no choice but to comply with. Imagine, for example, if your insurance company, in order to pay your bill, starts making you install the app through some alternate pathway that brings a side-dish of keylogging to adjust your rates based on your browser behavior.

ben_w 3y ago

> But before someone replies to point out that malware gets past the App Store tests: yes, of course it does, I see all this as a "defence in depth" strategy, not a silver bullet.

QuadmasterXLII 3y ago

Most of the apps I install are mandatory apps. It's not illegal to not have them, but if you don't install you can't access your doctor, file an insurance claim, bank, see your childs grades, enter the front door of your child's preschool, etc. All of these are malicious actors who will steal as much of my data as possible at all times, but I do actually need a preschool. As long as I can only install these through the app store, we are at an uneasy truce where these apps comply with app store rules.

beeboobaa 3y ago
The operating system can apply restrictions to apps, and in fact already does. It does not need the officially sanctioned store for this. You are arguing for detailed privacy controls for all apps (including those installed by Apple), which is a good thing to want!

naravara 3y ago

There are bad actors, like Facebook, who will prompt users to sideload so they can do bad things. If the bad actors were all shady fly-by-night looking companies it’d be one thing. But once the gates are opened, if it’s easy enough, you’ll see people being pressured to open the gates by all sorts of companies that they will have no choice but to comply with. Imagine, for example, if your insurance company, in order to pay your bill, starts making you install the app through some alternate pathway that brings a side-dish of keylogging to adjust your rates based on your browser behavior.