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Amid the ongoing controversy over its tight control of app distribution on iOS, Apple today filed its case arguing that allowing apps to be sideloaded on an iPhone would expose users to serious privacy and security risks. Sideloading refers to the installation of apps from a source outside the official App Store, such as a third-party website or app store.
In a new document shared on its privacy website, Apple said the App Store plays an important role in protecting users, as the company reviews all submitted apps and app updates to make sure they are free of content. inappropriate, privacy violations, known malware, or other violations of the App Store Review Guidelines.
The paper cites Nokia’s 2020 Threat Intelligence Report which found that Android devices were infected with significantly more malware than iPhones, partly due to Android allowing apps to be sideloaded outside of Google Play. Store:
One study found that devices running on Android had 15 times more malicious software infections than iPhones, with one key reason that Android apps “can be downloaded from virtually anywhere,” while everyday iPhone users can download apps only from one source: the App Store.
Apple said allowing sideloading on the iPhone “would spur a wave of new investment in attacks” on the iOS platform:
Due to the large size of the iPhone user base and the sensitive data stored on their phones, photos, location data, health and financial information enabling sideloading would spur a wave of new investment in platform attacks. Malicious actors would take advantage of the opportunity by dedicating more resources to developing sophisticated attacks targeting iOS users, thus expanding the array of exploits and armed attacks often referred to as a “threat model” from which all users must be protected. This increased risk of malware attacks exposes all users to greater risk, even those who download apps only from the App Store.
Apple added that allowing sideloading could force users to accept privacy and security risks, because some apps needed for work, school, or other businesses may no longer be available on the App Store, and scammers could also trick users into think they’re safely downloading apps from the App Store when they’re not.
Ultimately, Apple said that users should be constantly on the lookout for scams, never knowing who or what to trust, and as a result many users would download fewer apps from fewer developers. On the other hand, Apple has described the App Store as a “trusted place”, noting that its numerous security layers provide users with an “unprecedented level of protection from malicious software”, giving users complete peace of mind.
Apple’s document comes just weeks after its high-profile trial with Fortnite creator Epic Games, who argued that third-party app stores should be allowed on iOS. During the trial, when asked why sideloading is allowed on the Mac, but not the iPhone, Apple’s head of software engineering Craig Federighi admitted that the Mac has imperfect security and said the risks would be much greater on the iPhone due to its much larger customer base.
The full document can be read on the Apple website.
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