If you are a student, working professional, or busy parent, then you know how important it is to have your smartphone work every day.
Apple’s iPhones are not run of the mill smartphones, nor are they cheap. So, if you own one, it is likely very valuable to you.
As magnificent as they are, iPhones still have a few vulnerabilities that hackers can exploit.
iPhones Are Very Secure
Compared to Android smartphones, iPhones are actually very secure. iPhones cannot download apps from non-App store vendors, and Apple has strict criteria for submissions from app creators. These protections means that iPhone users are protected from malware and viruses that appear to be legitimate apps.
From Apple’s App Store Review Guidelines:
“The guiding principle of the App Store is simple – we want to provide a safe experience for users to get apps and a great opportunity for all developers to be successful. We do this by offering a highly curated App Store where every app is reviewed by experts and an editorial team helps users discover new apps every day. For everything else there is always the open Internet. If the App Store model and guidelines are not best for your app or business idea that’s okay, we provide Safari for a great web experience too.”
So, Apple’s strong security rules means malware apps will likely not come from the App Store.
This level of security means less malware is getting created targeting iOS devices in comparison to those that run Android. However, there are some issues that could show up with iPhones, such as zero-day issues or bugs. But these are often resolved quickly by Apple.
However, other sources of viruses or malware exist that could affect your iPhone, including opening questionable emails or messages with dangerous attachments.
For more information, read our post Can iPhones Get Viruses?
How to Protect Your iPhone
Do Not Jailbreak Your iPhone
If you jailbreak your iPhone, it’s susceptibility to being hacked increases.
Jailbreaking means a user can download software from sources outside the App Store, perform device customization, and unlock the iPhone’s carrier. To do this, you need to bypass the phone’s default settings using a special piece of software.
If you shop for apps for a jailbroken iPhone on the open internet, a cyber criminal can lead you to download their app that could actually be malware.
Delete Questionable Messages
If you receive texts or emails from people you do not know, then it is recommended to delete them. And certainly do not open any questionable attachments to such messages, as they could be malware.
Beware of Public Wi-Fi
Free Wi-Fi can be incredibly convenient. However, coffee shops, hotels, restaurants and other public places can be used by hackers to access smartphones.
So, make sure you use only secure Wi-Fi networks to access the web, and rely on your data account the rest of the time. Also, do not log into any financial or social media accounts while using public Wi-Fi, as a hacker can use this as a way to steal from you.
Charging stations could also be a threat from hackers. If you need to, purchase an extra battery pack and carry it with you to charge your iPhone while you are out.
In Summary…
If you own an iPhone or have children that have them, then you know that phone security is very important. Fortunately, Apple does a thorough job in making sure only safe apps get approved for you to download at the App Store.
However, there are still a few ways hackers can cause trouble for iPhone users. So, make sure to always be aware of the potential digital threats that your iPhone and privacy may be exposed to.
