Is The Android More Secure Than iPhones? In the opinion of millions of smartphone users worldwide, although Android has many advantages over iOS in terms of openness and customization, Apple’s operating system has always been considered superior in terms of security capabilities.
Numerous pieces of evidence show that Android is vulnerable to infiltration and has many malicious apps that can collect user data.
Therefore, technology experts often warn Android smartphone users to be more careful because of the platform’s poor security. Meanwhile, the iOS operating system is almost “invulnerable” to hackers.
But is that the case? The “openness” of Android gives hackers more room to work, but that does not mean that Android is an unsafe operating system or less secure than iOS.
Openness: Android’s double-edged sword
Security is not the first thing most people think of when buying a smartphone. Apps, usability, and pricing are what we prioritize more, and this is typically accurate.
Security is crucial today more than ever because most people save a lot of sensitive personal information on their phones.
The operating system you select for your smartphone significantly impacts its security; the top choices have different strengths and weaknesses in system design and upkeep.
If you’re interested in having a secure phone and keeping your data private, there’s only one smartphone option: the iPhone.
Of the mobile operating systems in the world today, Android is the most versatile and flexible platform.
Moreover, the open operating system released by Google is the world’s most popular mobile platform as it is regularly installed and used on 2 billion devices globally, according to data released by Google at the event. The Google I/O event took place in mid-May.
However, the flexibility of Android also has advantages and disadvantages when it brings many inconveniences in terms of security.
Android’s insecure experience comes from manufacturers customizing the operating system to include its unique style.
Not only that, but the fragmentation of Android, along with the lack of security patches during use from the manufacturer, is also why Android is perceived as less secure than iOS.
But, if we compare iOS and the stock Android operating system (for example, the version installed on the Google Pixel or the Nexus series), Google’s operating system is not inferior to the competition in terms of safety.
Even original Android is considered more secure than iOS because Google diligently updates monthly patches, thereby removing potential threats to users from infancy.
Android – the main target of hackers
Take Microsoft’s Windows, for example, which is the most popular operating system for computers in the world in general.
Therefore, it is also the platform that hackers pay the most attention to. The same is the case with Android.
Because it is the most widely used mobile platform globally, with over 2 billion installed devices, so Android is an easy target for hackers.
Since Android is the biggest target for hackers, it’s no surprise that it has the most viruses, hacks, and malware attacking it. What’s surprising is how much it’s worth compared to other platforms.
According to a recent study, Android targets 97 percent of all smartphone-attacking malware.
This analysis concluded that none of the malware they discovered targeted iPhones. (probably due to rounding. Some malware targets iPhones, but probably less than 1%).
The final 3% targeted Nokia’s old but widely used Symbian platform. Technically, iOS is not necessarily more secure than Android because this is a matter of logic and probability.
Evaluation of the application on two operating systems:
Another place where security comes in is the two platforms’ app stores. Your phone may be generally secure if you don’t get a virus or hacked, but what if an attack is concealed in an app that pretends to be completely different? In that case, you have installed security threats on your phone without knowing it.
While it’s possible it could happen on both platforms, it’s less likely to occur on an iPhone. Before being published, Apple evaluates every program submitted to the App Store.
While that assessment was not done by programming experts and did not involve a full review of the application’s code, it does provide some security.
Very few malicious applications have ever made it into the App Store (and some of the system test researchers).
Much less vetting is required in Google’s publication process. You may submit your app to Google Play in a few hours and make it accessible to consumers. (The procedure at Apple might take up to two weeks.).
Sandboxing:
This cannot be easy if you are not a programmer, but it is essential. How Apple and Google have designed their operating systems and allow apps to run are very different and lead to various security scenarios.
Apple uses a technique called sandboxing. This means that every app runs in its own walled space (a “sandbox”) where it can do what it needs to but cannot interact with other apps or cross the threshold.
System definition. Even if the app already has malicious code or a virus, that attack can’t come out of the sandbox and deal more damage.
(Apps can communicate with each other more, Sandboxing is still required for iOS 8, though.)
Conversely, Google created Android to be as flexible and open as possible. Users and developers gain a lot from this, making the platform more vulnerable to assaults. Even the head of Google’s Android team admits that Android is less secure, saying:
“We can’t guarantee that Android is secure; the format is designed to give more freedom… If I had a company specializing in malware, I should also address attacks. Your work on Android”.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0A4u7nn7Uho
So between iOS and Android, which platform is more secure?
Suppose you refer to the statistical data in 2016. We can see that iOS is leading Android in terms of security when Apple’s proprietary operating system only recorded 161 security holes during 2016 when this number of Android reached 523.
However, the past year was quite a “peaceful” year for Android users when no major malware attacks occurred, and iPhones and iPads struggled because The Trident issue caused Apple to work day and night to patch this security hole.
However, in 2015, the opposite happened when Android only recorded 125 security holes and iOS up to 387; in the same year, Google’s operating system had to deal with vulnerabilities. Stagefright security affects 95% of devices with Android installed.
Final thought
In short, comparing the safety of the two operating systems through statistics would be lame.
Meanwhile, comparing security through serious threats is only valid from time to time because no one knows whether there will be any severe incidents in the future.
Therefore, perhaps we should rethink our notion of iOS being more secure than Android.
Related article:
What Are Some of the Best Non-Samsung Android Phones?(Explained)
