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Actually iOS has more security than you could ever get on a Windows platform with an anti virus. The only way to run executable code on iOS is to install it vi

by voidr 14y ago

Actually iOS has more security than you could ever get on a Windows platform with an anti virus. The only way to run executable code on iOS is to install it via the AppStore, to get to the App Store you need to pass the review process, you have to be really clever to be able to hide your malware. Even if your malware gets trough you are still stuck in your apps sandbox and once Apple realizes what you have done, they can remotely pull all instances of your app and the police will be waiting for you outside. So virtually it's impossible to spread virus on iOS, an anti virus would be just crapware.

arkitaip 14y ago
"to get to the App Store you need to pass the review process, you have to be really clever to be able to hide your malware. Let's hope no one sets up The International Obfuscated Objective-C Code Contest; or that the code reviewers at Apple are competent and experience enough to work with advanced software security threats. "Even if your malware gets trough you are still stuck in your apps sandbox" Sandboxes can and are exploited. Recently [1] "So virtually it's impossible to spread virus on iOS, an anti virus would be just crapware." Sure on HN we all know that security is more than (anti) viruses. [1] http://www.techspot.com/news/47731-google-rushes-out-chrome-patch-for-sandbox-exploit-other-still-lurks.html http://www.techspot.com/news/47731-google-rushes-out-chrome-...
- pooriaazimi 14y ago
  ?! Just because Chrome's sandbox was exploited, doesn't mean sandboxes will always be exploited, so they're not effective.
- cantankerous 14y ago
  Let's hope no one sets up The International Obfuscated Objective-C Code Contest; or that the code reviewers at Apple are competent and experience enough to work with advanced software security threats. Apple isn't doing thorough code reviews of every app they get. They're just checking sanity and adherence to "the rules". Even if the code was obfuscated and they wanted to review your code, they could write you an email that says "your code is unreadable, make it better or you're not going to get on the app store". Sandboxes can and are exploited. So are you saying that because Chrome was exploited, that the sandbox model in iOS some how makes the system less secure? The notion doesn't follow. Yes, sandboxes can be exploited, but it's NOT EASY TO DO THIS. The idea behind good, secure design is not to try to secure from every attack vector possible, but to eliminate low hanging fruit entirely, and make elaborate breaches very, very expensive to find and create. Apple is doing all of this here with the sandbox design, and it works quite well for them. Sure on HN we all know that security is more than (anti) viruses. Case-in-point: iOS. Quite secure, doesn't require anti-virus software to be as secure as it is.
jpxxx 14y ago
iOS is not immune - it just has a far less surface area to attack when unmodified. One can still do a driveby attack where a malicious webpage kicks Safari's teeth in and finds a way through the sandbox. (Or replace Safari with 'any app that consumes network content')

by voidr 14y ago

arkitaip 14y ago

"to get to the App Store you need to pass the review process, you have to be really clever to be able to hide your malware. Let's hope no one sets up The International Obfuscated Objective-C Code Contest; or that the code reviewers at Apple are competent and experience enough to work with advanced software security threats. "Even if your malware gets trough you are still stuck in your apps sandbox" Sandboxes can and are exploited. Recently [1] "So virtually it's impossible to spread virus on iOS, an anti virus would be just crapware." Sure on HN we all know that security is more than (anti) viruses. [1] http://www.techspot.com/news/47731-google-rushes-out-chrome-patch-for-sandbox-exploit-other-still-lurks.html http://www.techspot.com/news/47731-google-rushes-out-chrome-...

pooriaazimi 14y ago
?! Just because Chrome's sandbox was exploited, doesn't mean sandboxes will always be exploited, so they're not effective.
cantankerous 14y ago
Let's hope no one sets up The International Obfuscated Objective-C Code Contest; or that the code reviewers at Apple are competent and experience enough to work with advanced software security threats. Apple isn't doing thorough code reviews of every app they get. They're just checking sanity and adherence to "the rules". Even if the code was obfuscated and they wanted to review your code, they could write you an email that says "your code is unreadable, make it better or you're not going to get on the app store". Sandboxes can and are exploited. So are you saying that because Chrome was exploited, that the sandbox model in iOS some how makes the system less secure? The notion doesn't follow. Yes, sandboxes can be exploited, but it's NOT EASY TO DO THIS. The idea behind good, secure design is not to try to secure from every attack vector possible, but to eliminate low hanging fruit entirely, and make elaborate breaches very, very expensive to find and create. Apple is doing all of this here with the sandbox design, and it works quite well for them. Sure on HN we all know that security is more than (anti) viruses. Case-in-point: iOS. Quite secure, doesn't require anti-virus software to be as secure as it is.

jpxxx 14y ago

iOS is not immune - it just has a far less surface area to attack when unmodified. One can still do a driveby attack where a malicious webpage kicks Safari's teeth in and finds a way through the sandbox. (Or replace Safari with 'any app that consumes network content')