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Apple should worry about their OS zero click remote root vulnerabilities that allow taking full control of devices with another found in 15.0.1 instead of worrying about people harmlessly sideloading Fortnite, Retroarch, Kodi, etc. that Apple blocks.

https://citizenlab.ca/2021/09/force...sage-zero-click-exploit-captured-in-the-wild/
Why? Do you want Apple to have more stuff to deal with? Let's expand the attack vector instead of reducing it. eh? Are you still on 15.0.1....that was yesterdays' news.
 
"Apple Says iOS is Safer Than Android Because Sideloading Apps Isn't Allowed"

Well, with the same argument you could nearly forbid anything (i.e. live in China is safer than in USA because XXX isn't allowed). In the end it mainly protects the one who makes the rules...
Ignorance is strength, Citizen So@So@So.😬

As long as the people remain ignorant about sideloading, it will remain Apple's talking point strength.
 
I'm skeptical of Apple's claims.

The Macintosh is wide open: we can side load, we can write our own kexts, we can use alternative boot loaders, and yet the Mac is pretty secure. So I'm not buying it. I am on the side of giving users choice. No one has to use an alternative App Store if they don't want to.

And regarding some apps for school not being available on the main App Store and thus possibly resulting in security risks, why couldn't the school(s) ensure a secure website for users to download the app onto the phone? Just like what happens on the Macintosh? One could argue that with Apple's current policies, certain legitimate apps are unavailable because Apple didn't want to allow them onto the App Store (e.g., Wifi Explorer).
And macOS is less secure because of it. Look it up. Malware on macOS grew 1,000% in 2020. macOS is just not as widely used as windows so windows is the one that gets all the malware.
 
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Completely retarded logic. If it's sooo much safer, then they should make "sideloading" apps on macs impossible as well. In fact, just make it impossible for safari to download any installer period. /s

It's greed pure and simple.
People really need to stop comparing phones with computers. It is a major safety issue if my phone has ransomware on it and I am unable to call 911 after a car accident and I am badly injured.

And yes, I do want both Windows and macOS to be completely locked down. Ever heard of Zombie systems? DDoS, spam emails and more are all due to these zombie systems running in the background.
 
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In response to the European Commission's proposed Digital Markets Act, which could force sideloading of apps on the iPhone in Europe, Apple has shared an in-depth document highlighting the security and privacy risks of sideloading. Sideloading refers to installing apps outside of the App Store, such as from a website or a third-party app store.

app-store-blue-banner.jpg

Apple's document, titled Building a Trusted Ecosystem for Millions of Apps, states that "mobile malware and the resulting security and privacy threats are increasingly common and predominantly present on platforms that allow sideloading." For example, Apple cited Nokia's 2019 and 2020 Threat Intelligence Reports that found Android devices to have an "estimated 15 to 47 times more infections from malicious software" than iPhones.On the other hand, Apple claimed that malware on iOS is rare and said that many of the attacks on the platform are "narrowly targeted attacks, often carried out by nation-states." Apple added that "experts generally agree that iOS is safer compared to Android, in part because Apple does not support sideloading."

Apple said if it were forced to allow sideloading, users would be subjected to more malicious apps and have less control over apps after they download them onto their devices. Apple added that some proposed sideloading legislation would also mandate removing protections against third-party access to proprietary hardware elements and non-public operating system functions, resulting in security and privacy risks for users.

Apple added that even users who don't wish to sideload and prefer to download apps only from the App Store would be harmed if sideloading were required, as some users may have no choice other than sideloading an app they need for work, school, or other essential reasons. In addition, Apple said criminals may trick users into sideloading apps by mimicking the appearance of the App Store or by advertising free or exclusive features.

Apple touched on many of these arguments in a similar document shared back in June. Apple CEO Tim Cook previously claimed that sideloading apps "would destroy the security of the iPhone" and "a lot of the privacy initiatives that we've built into the App Store."

Apple's document goes on to provide examples of common malware affecting mobile platforms like Android and makes more arguments against sideloading.

Apple has faced increasing scrutiny over its App Store, which remains the only place to install apps on the iPhone and iPad, excluding devices that have been jailbroken. Fortnite creator Epic Games sued Apple last year for anticompetitive conduct, but it was unsuccessful in getting the court to force Apple to allow third-party app stores on iOS.

Article Link: Apple Says iOS is Safer Than Android Because Sideloading Apps Isn't Allowed
I would argue that this is a contributing factor, but not the sole reason. I suppose you could also argue that the Apple store is more secure and stringent in what apps it allows on it's platform VS the playstore. That's not to say that some don't obviously make it through, just not as many as a platform designed to support a lot more devices. I don't have exact numbers, but it seems fair to assume that their aren't as many apps on Apple's store VS the playstore. Less apps inherently make it easier to keep track of and control. So, between the inability to sideload and a more stringent app store, make this a more likely combo of why iOS is safer, from a malware/spyware standpoint.
 
iOS safety has been compromised for a while by the infamous Pegasus, so side-loading apps is just a part of the overall picture. I still trust iOS and macOS more than Android and Windows, but I am not sure for how much longer Apple can pay this “safety” card.
So let me get this straight. Apple will soon not be able to say "safety", yet opening up iOS will somehow make it more secure or the same level of secure? I doubt it. Police cannot keep streets 100% secure, otherwise there would be no robberies or murders. So lets just get rid of police too?

If you want iOS to be 100% secure, lets make App Review (even small updates) take weeks or months. That way Apple can scan the entire source code and do a full regression test on the software.
 
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Nothing to see here.

Side loading is already allowed and encouraged. All you need is complete source code, Xcode, an Xcode project file, and a developer enrollment, and you can sideload any app on your own iOS device. No app approval required.

If you don’t mind re-signing your apps weekly, you don’t even need the $99/annum developer enrollment. Just an Apple ID.

Just write your own code (or download source from github) and side load.
So...$900 for the iPhone and $700+ for a Mac to be able to install via Xcode? And how does someone get an Xcode project file if the company won't allow it?
 
It is your phone and therefore your should have the power to decide which apps are installed on it.
People keep mentioning this. You and others are mixing up hardware and software. You own the PHONE, not the OS. You can buy the phone and jailbreak it - go right ahead! But Apple is under no legal obligation to help or provide instructions on how to hack it. You can buy the phone and immediately throw it in a swimming pool and leave it there for months if you want. But you don't own the software.
 
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It's not that you do or not. If it's made into law, you and everyone else WILL have to deal with this. You can't not have the side loading ability if the phone/iOS can do it. It's there if you want it or not, use it or not. We are all affected by this.

This system is trying to give the consumer choice. But in fact they are taking away my choice. I can't "not" (double negative) have side loading's vulnerabilities affect me.
Yes 100% agree. People need to stop being so selfish. Good for you that you are smart enough to NOT get tricked by anything. However, my Grandma would and has been tricked before on Android, which mines her contacts, which leaks MY information, which leads to me getting scam calls and spam emails.

Zombie systems and other phones/devices getting infected has an indirect influence on EVERYONE.
 
I realize that phone people are the lowest common denominator but they seem to be surviving using macs that are not locked down. they will survive this also.
That’s a good point, but the market share matters tremendously.

Mac users (of which I’m one) aren’t targeted because they make up a smith smaller segment of the desktop and notebook market.

the same cannot be said about the mobile space.

imagine a malicious programmer being able to target 1 BILLION iPhone users.
 
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That’s a good point, but the market share matters tremendously.

Mac users (of which I’m one) aren’t targeted because they make up a smith smaller segment of the desktop and notebook market.

the same cannot be said about the mobile space.

imagine a malicious programmer being able to target 1 BILLION iPhone users.
Seeing as how Android has 73 percent of worldwide market share that means a malicious programmer could target 2.7 billions Android users. Yet planes aren't falling out of the sky and life continues to go on. It's just fear mongering. The reality is that the vast majority of Android users don't bother side-loading anyway and thus are at no more risk than an iPhone user.
 
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Had to agree with apple on this one. There are hundreds of illegal fintech practices in my country and unfortunately users are lacking both digital and financial literacy. Such practices occur because android allow users to sideload of .apks, in which they used to install the illegal fintech apps. Our country is currently battling these practices as many people are trapped in debts with riddiculous amount of interest.
 
By Apple's logic, Google is defying the laws of economics.

  • iOS is more secure than Android.
    • Android has way more vulnerabilities.
  • Law of supply demand says price increases inversely with supply:demand ratio
    • ie: cost per cookie would be greater 50cookies/100buyers vs 100cookies/100buyers.
  • Currently, Zerodium pays out higher for Android 0days than iOS 0days.
    • Zerodium is paying more for something less in demand and is more widely available (according to Apple)
That's bullpoop 101. If you can't realize it's solely a business decision to not allow sideloaded apps, you're the reason why power users associate all Apple fanboys with sheep. And I am a fanboy.
 
It's absolutely true. Apple checks every app uploaded to it's app store for malware.
Apple doesn't have the resources to do that even if it wanted to, to check every app, every update version. At best, they screen the initial app, by reviewing the code, and then at random updates.
 
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I would love to sideload apps into iOS since Apple has decided to get political with the app store. Also, in a perfect world, the underlying system would ensure security no matter what apps are side loaded, but that's not entirely realistic.
 
Three things are obvious -

Apple will be forced to allow side loading.

It will make iPhone less secure for most ordinary users. It simply will.

I will like it because I can manage the security issues and certain apps Apple would never allow will now be available.
 
Three things are obvious -

Apple will be forced to allow side loading.

It will make iPhone less secure for most ordinary users. It simply will.

I will like it because I can manage the security issues and certain apps Apple would never allow will now be available.

At least it will be left to individual users to not go down that road if they don't feel comfortable.
 
Well, considering many of the Android malware that has plagued the platform in the past wasn't sideloaded at all, but directly from the Google Play Store...so not sure sideloading is the main problem here. Certainly a vector, but not the main one.

The Google Play store has been described as a municipal dump, and unfortunately I tend to agree. The low barrier to entry seem to have produced a ton of extremely bad apps.
 
I, and many others if you look around, want this restrictions for just the reasons mentioned, and want to keep them.

Also, I can install my own apps through xcode.

Maybe they should have an option to allow other sources, but it should be optional to allow that.

It is optional on Android. You have to select an option to allow that.
 
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14 pages already?

I find it hilarious, that in an Apple forum, so many people are furious when the realities of Android are brought up. There’s more anger here than in actual Android forums.
 
Never in my 11 years of owning iPhones have I ever thought "Gee I really wish I could side load on my phone!"
I did.

I though the iPhone was fairly useless before Apple offered iOS 2.0 and its developer SDK support, and still useless without paying the $99/annum developer enrollment (which I consider the part of an iPhone's price). So I didn't buy my first iPhone 3G until after I could pay the $99 for my developer program enrollment, download Xcode and the iOS SDK, and learned to code the apps that I wanted to side load on my iPhone. Now it's even easier with all the open source iOS app components and examples on GitHub (including game emulators and etc.)

Not paying the $99/annum developer enrollement is your iPhone price discount for not being able to side load apps (that you can code yourself, or find source code for).
 
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