“Sideloading is a cyber criminal’s best friend, and requiring it on Apple iPhone would be a gold rush for the malware industry,” said Apple senior vice president Craig Federighi, who delivered a dramatic speech at Web Summit 2021 decrying the security risks of requiring Apple to allow users to sideload apps.
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Federighi, who is in charge of Apple’s iOS and macOS software divisions, was expressing his displeasure with the European Commission’s planned Digital Markets Act, which, if passed, would force Apple to allow customers to install programmes outside of the iOS App Store.
According to Federighi, the lack of side-loading makes Apple stay low in malware attacks on iOS from the 5 million Android attacks each month. If Apple allows customers to install their programmes, the floodgates for malware would open.
Federighi also opposes a widely recommended solution that would allow users to decide for themselves whether to take risks by side-loading apps. He also stated that “criminals are cunning, and they’re better at hiding in plain sight”. so deceptive websites could fool even well-informed consumers or end up with bogus app stores on their phones.
Even if you, as a tech-savvy smartphone specialist, are unlikely to be duped. Federighi tugs at the heartstrings by asking the audience to consider the children or parents who might get duped.
He also expresses fear that if Apple allows side-loading, “certain social networking apps will probably try to bypass the App Store’s privacy rules by only making their apps available via side-loading.”
According to Federighi, Apple’s App Store privacy standards go beyond the letter of the law, and social media businesses seeking to circumvent them may compel customers to choose between “losing connection with your pals online, or risking side-loading.”
According to Federighi, “side-loading compromises security and puts people’s data in danger,” and that if users and regulators want the ability to sideload apps, Android should suffice without forcing it for iPhones.
Apple might permit iOS side-loading, requiring something analogous to the Gatekeeper system on macOS, which allows Apple to validate certified developer IDs to ensure the software is real.
During the Apple vs. Epic lawsuit, Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers stated Federighi bending the truth about Mac virus worries and that Apple could certainly make a comparable system operate on iOS.
Federighi’s statement ignores the reality that by requiring all apps to be installed through the App Store, it also forces all app commerce to flow through the App Store, where Apple earns its widely challenged 30% share, which amounts to billions of dollars each year.
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