Can iPads & iPhones Get Viruses?

You’ve probably heard Apple users gloat about how their devices can’t get viruses, making them the far superior product. But how much of this is true? Can iPads and iPhones get viruses? These are secure devices but that doesn’t mean that they are completely immune from getting viruses and other malware that can be harmful to your computer or tablets. Read on to learn everything that you need to know about whether or not these devices can get viruses.

For the most part, there are fewer risks for getting viruses on iPads and iPhones but that doesn’t mean that they are completely free of viruses. The risk is very low for a few reasons. One reason why is, because of the specific design of the iOS platform. This is designed from the ground up to be isolated and compartmentalized, which prevents a lot of the typical techniques that hackers use to infiltrate Windows and Android operating systems. iOS users do not get administrator privileges, allowing the iOS to retain a majority of the control. These applications are isolated from other apps and they are filtered before they even make it onto the App store. They are also restricted in their communication with the operating system. This is a process known as “sandboxing” which means that even if you download a corrupted app, it can’t access your entire system.

The App store is known for being a “walled garden”, which helps to keep the users safe. With Android phones, you can get “sideloaded” apps that can be downloaded from anywhere. You can only officially get apps through the iOS App Store. Every app is reviewed by Apple before being available to use. If the reviewers find anything suspicious about the app, they will reject any malicious apps. Bad apps may break through sometimes, but this approach does help prevent a good majority of malicious apps.

It helps to have your phone updated with the latest update at all times. Anytime a problem is discovered, the team works hard to fix any vulnerabilities as soon as they can. These devices are updated more frequently than some other devices, which helps keep the phones safe from any exploits that they are currently aware of. The Apple team is constantly working hard to uncover any security issues and remedy them as soon as possible. 

iOS devices may have a reputation for being immune from viruses and other malware, but that simply isn’t the case. They can still end up with issues which is why you can still get antivirus programs for them to keep them protected. It is just a lot harder for these devices to become infected for a variety of reasons. In addition to the reasons mentioned above, there are fewer iOS devices out there, making it not as beneficial to them to create malware for these devices. As long as you keep your phone updated with the latest security updates and protect it with antivirus protection, you can feel more at ease about the potential of getting a virus.