Securing external iOS devices

[SeeGeeWhy]

Is there any way to ensure that an iPhone is secure and free of nasties? I use ESET nod32 on my PCs but am concerned that my phone could be introducing problems as there is no anti-virus/anti-malware running on it as I am pretty sure there isn't anything of that nature... Or is there?

[morgin]

There aren't the sort of consumer level viruses on ios that a virus scanner app could pick up. Closed system and all.

[SeeGeeWhy]

So they're secure? And web browsing doesn't leave it vulnerable?

[Rathji]

This is all assuming your iOS is reasonably up to date and/or don't have it jailbroken

The apps are not necessarily secure, as malicious apps have made it onto the store, but much more likely to be secure if all apps come from the app store and the apps have been vetted. I would trust the iOS closed system without AV more than an open system like a PC or Mac with AV.

As for web browsing, the fact that you are not a root user, the way the OS works, and the lack of 3rd party plugins means it would be very difficult for a web based exploit to do anything of real concern.

In short, don't worry about it.

[TorqueDog]

Originally Posted by Rathji

As for web browsing, the fact that you are not a root user, the way the OS works, and the lack of 3rd party plugins means it would be very difficult for a web based exploit to do anything of real concern.

Well, except for that one time that you could visit a website and jailbreak your device using an exploit seconds after getting your hands on the device.

But otherwise, these walled-garden approaches that Apple and MS have chosen for their devices make them significantly safer without AV compared to other open systems (PC, Mac, Android).

[Rathji]

Originally Posted by TorqueDog

Well, except for that one time that you could visit a website and jailbreak your device using an exploit seconds after getting your hands on the device.

But otherwise, these walled-garden approaches that Apple and MS have chosen for their devices make them significantly safer without AV compared to other open systems (PC, Mac, Android).

True, but that wouldn't be considered a reasonably up to date version of iOS, which is why I added that caveat.

[kermitology]

Pretty much all App Store apps are limited to the sandbox so you'd have to be leveraging private APIs to do much in the way of malicious actions from an iOS device.

[TorqueDog]

Originally Posted by Rathji

True, but that wouldn't be considered a reasonably up to date version of iOS, which is why I added that caveat.

Well when that exploit was first unveiled, it was being used on brand new iPhones which would most certainly qualify as 'reasonably up to date' at the time.