Apple may charge a lot for an iPhone, but there’s one particular advantage over Android phones that most people don’t even think about when buying one: security.
Apple designed the software of the iPhone (iOS) to make it very difficult for malware, including viruses, to penetrate its defenses. That’s a good thing, of course, and it means you don’t really need to install an antivirus app. The same goes for iPads, by the way.
However, before you close this tab and continue your merry way, that’s not the end of the story.
Scammers, cybercriminals – call them what you will – know that it is extremely difficult to write a virus that will compromise your iPhone. They also know that it is much easier to deceive You to hand over your password, credentials, and payment details, which ultimately is what they really want.
And that’s why there are so many SMS scams, fake websites, and dodgy links on social media. They’re getting more and more sophisticated, but modern “antivirus” software can help protect you, even on an iPhone or iPad.
Most of the time, these apps protect you from yourself! For example, do you use the same password and email address to log in to many different websites? Millions do, but it’s a huge security risk. Imagine that just one of these sites was hacked and did not encrypt the passwords of its users. Yours, along with others, would be available to the highest bidder.
What would then happen is something called credential stuffing: trying that combination of email address and password on a bunch of other websites to see if they work.
Since you use the same password, hackers could gain access to your bank account or, failing that, to another site where you have stored your payment information.
Installing a good quality security app on your iPhone can prevent this situation by remembering separate passwords for each of your accounts and automatically entering them each time you need to log in.
Ah, but iPhones do that anyway you say. Yes, but iCloud Keychain will not sync these connections to your Windows laptop or any other non-Apple device you use. And that’s why a cross-platform password manager is so valuable.
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
Here are some of the other things security apps can do on an iPhone and iPad:
- Warn you about potentially bogus websites that may try to steal sensitive information
- Warn you about dangerous links in messages and emails
- Increase your online privacy by using a VPN
- Protect your identity by quickly notifying you if any of your personal information is found on the dark web (or, indeed, the normal web)
- Protect your photos and videos so only you can access them
It might still be called antivirus software, but even though it won’t block viruses on an iPhone, it’s still a really good idea to use it on yours.
FAQs
What is the best antivirus for iPhone?
Avast One will be the most tempting because it is free. Some features are either limited or locked until you pay (read our Avast review if you want the details), but the free version still offers a lot for nothing. A Norton subscription can be purchased for just one iOS device, but it’s more beneficial if you opt for Norton 360 Deluxe which covers five of your devices.
McAfee Security works exactly the same way and requires a subscription to at least one device. But again, opting for a subscription to McAfee’s Total Protection (which covers five or 10 devices) is cheaper per device.
Can an iPhone catch a virus?
Technically, yes. But the chances of getting infected are extremely slim unless you have jailbroken your iPhone. If you don’t know what that means, don’t worry: your iPhone is safe. For a much more in-depth answer, head over to our sister site, Macworld.
How secure is an iPhone?
Overall very secure. The biggest risk is you. If you fall for a scam asking for money and transfer funds from your account to the scammer, the security built into your iPhone isn’t very helpful. That’s why we always recommend installing security software that can warn you about dangerous messages and links.
Do iPads need antivirus?
Yeah. For exactly the same reasons an iPhone needs it. It won’t monitor or block viruses, but there are so many other threats it can protect you from that it’s worth installing one of the apps we’ve mentioned here.
What can I do to secure my iPhone?
In addition to installing a reputable security application, keep it updated. Any potential iOS vulnerabilities are usually fixed in the latest software update. This is one of the reasons why you shouldn’t ignore reminders that a new version of iOS is available.
It should be noted that Android phones can If you have both iPhone and Android, you should install an antivirus app on your Android phone as soon as possible. Here are the best antivirus apps for Android.
Most security apps, and certainly the three mentioned here, work on iPhone, iPad, Android, Windows, and macOS, so it makes sense to install the same one on all your devices for convenience, as well as because it’s is always the cheapest way to protect them. Check out our roundup of the best antivirus software for more recommendations.
And if you are worried about apps using your device’s camera or microphone to spy on you, remember that all apps must ask your permission to access the camera, microphone, your contacts, photos and other things.
So, only tap “Allow” when prompted for the first time if you are sure you trust the app. And be sure to carefully read what an app is asking permission for when there is a longer list.
You should also follow the usual security advice that applies no matter what device you’re using: don’t click on links in emails unless you’re sure they’re from a genuine sender , do not give out your bank details or password unless you are absolutely sure it is safe, and use an encrypted messaging service such as WhatsApp and iMessage if you need to share sensitive details like these with a friend or a member of the family.
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