Want to download an app but it is not on the Apple Store? Well, an Apple expert has warned iOS users of the major risks of the so-called sideloading.
What Is Sideloading?
For those who are not familiar with sideloading, Indian Express stated that it is a way of installing apps that are not available on the Google Play Store or Apple App store. Through this method, it allows users to download apps that are not allowed to run on their smartphones.
If sideloading was done on Android phones, Android Central clarified that Google cannot be held liable since the apps installed is not already part of their service utilizing a security protocol.
It is worth noting that if a security protocol has been bumped off, the device is now at risk of every malware available, per Corrata. The said malware includes Trojan and Spyware.
Luckily, iPhone users are less exposed to these risks since it does not support sideloading.
iPhone Security Issue: Apple Not Supporting Sideloading
Since there is a lot of risks that sideloading brings to every device, senior vice president of Apple Craig Federighi is against this method.
For background information, the European Commission has proposed a Digital Markets Act, which aims to promote fair and open digital markets. With this proposed Digital Markets Act, it could force sideloading of apps on the Apple device in Europe, per Macrumors.
After this proposal, the Cupertino-based technology company has issued a 31-page in-depth document that reads, "Building a Trusted Ecosystem for Millions of Apps: A threat analysis of sideloading."
In the document, it stated different negative effects if Apple is forced to support sideloading.
- It would compromise the security of iOS users, personal data as well as privacy.
- Smartphone users can choose from millions of apps and download an ever-increasing number of them. Through the apps sideloaded, it has the potential to access every information that users may have. Gadgets and users' personal data are at risk of security and privacy breaches.
In the previous Web Summit 2021 held in Portugal, Federighi declared that sideloading is a cyber criminal's best friend, which will be a gold rush for the malware industry if Apple supported this proposal, per The Verge. He added that the lack of sideloading on Apple devices is the reason why the tech giant has a low malware rate on iOS, which separates them from the 5 million Android attacks each month.
Once Apple supports sideloading, the iPhone security issues could run rampant.
"As an engineer who wants iPhone to stay as secure as possible for our users, there is one part I worry about, and that's the provision that would require iPhone to allow sideloading," Federighi furthered in his speech.
In addition to this, Federighi also opposed a widely recommended solution that would allow users to decide for themselves whether to risk sideloading apps. He added that tech-savvy smartphone users may not be fooled, but the children and parents who are not familiar with technology might be affected.
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