The Android vs iOS, Samsung vs Apple and Apple vs Google debate is the new Windows x Linux that could even tear friends apart. Things are so profound that people even got stabbed for this (seriously). One of the main subjects that surface on an Android vs iOS argument is that Apple’s closed app ecosystem assures that only safe apps are deployed to the App Store, as opposed to Google’s open policy that ends up allowing several malware-infected and malicious apps to land in the Play Store. Things got even worse recently with the revelation of the Stagefright security flaw that allows a malicious MMS take control of an Android device. However, Apple’s app ecosystem is not perfect either and a recent study found that iOS users are actually slightly more in danger than who is on Android. Let’s explain.
A study conducted by software vulnerability analyst Checkmarx analyzed hundreds of popular apps on both App Store and Play Store, highlighting several security risks and vulnerabilities. The report shows that around 40 percent of all iOS vulnerabilities were found potentially devastating for system stability and sensitive data protection, while this number is 36 percent on Android exposures. Obviously the gap is not that big and it shows that both systems are closely unsafe. Of course, Apple manages to avoid a bigger number of malwares and malicious apps than Google, but nobody is perfect and the damage caused my malicious apps is slightly bigger on iOS.
What this study shows is that the ultimate security barrier should be the user and that developers are also responsible for creating less-vulnerable software, putting an end on the myth that Apple locked platform makes every user safe and free from any malware. Indeed, recently we had a major security hole on several high-profile iOS apps, including extremely popular WeChat messaging app and scanning app thanks to a malicious Xcode malware, affecting hundreds of millions of users worldwide. With more and more personal and sensitive information being handed over to our mobile devices, keeping this data safe is becoming an increasingly difficult challenge, regardless of the platform you use. That said, both Android and iOS need to tighten their security. If you want to know more, just head to the source link and download the full report.