Are iPhones safe from virus attacks??

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In June 2012, Mikko Hypponen, an anti-virus veteran, shared an exciting tweet which said —
“iPhone is 5 years old today. After 5 years, not a single serious malware case. It’s not just luck; we need to congratulate Apple on this.”
It is a matter of time. During the past couple months, things have changed considerably. Most of us may not agree to this in the present day. Let’s look at Why!
Global Ransomware Outbreak
In the last two months, with the outbreak of the global cyber-attack crippling Windows-based systems, every user be it for Windows or Mac are now left wondering how secure they are in reality?               
WannaCry and Petya: Their Impact
The reason being, these severe vulnerabilities—WannaCry,                 
Up till date, these are considered as the worst ransomware attack for Windows users. Though these ransomware does not affect the Mac system yet, it does not claim that Mac users are completely secure against all types of ransomware.
Mac is to in Alarm
If we go by the Threat Report introduced by the McAfee Labs, Mac Malware has also enhanced a lot compared to last year. Fortunately, most of them are adware, but few of them are threats too. So, considering Mac complete secure is not viable.
What about iPhones? Are iPhones Safe from Virus attacks? Above all, is Apple still the frontrunner regarding Mobile Device Security like the way it was in 2012?
If these are the few questions that are triggering in your mind too, then, you need to explore further.
The same question—“Is Apple still considered as the security leader on mobile devices?” has also appeared on Quora, one of the widely renowned knowledge sharing platform.
In response to this, technology enthusiast Glyn Williams said-
Yes, Apple is still the security leader in mobile devices. The reason being, Apple directly updates the system software; therefore, there are no security holes as such.
Android Phone vs iPhone
Moving forward, he also states that on Android, a complex ownership chain is present between Google and the user.  Thus, in scenarios where Google does introduce the fixes, the manufacturers and carriers slow down them. So, on the whole, a significant section of Android handsets keeps running on the outdated software. But, do remember that Google’s built-in iPhone is an exception to it.
Another reason, the Google is not incentivised commercially for privacy, and as per its business model, it generates money by marketing users’ attention to the advertisers.  So, this model allows advertisers to track users and view what they are looking. Hence, there is no absolute privacy.
Lastly, he commented that Apple does not believe in such commercial incentive. Thus, there is no user data mining for financial interest. Hence, Privacy and Security are the USPs.
Of course, there were several worms back in past couple of years, but users can dismiss them as they were not serious. 
What Has Lookout Report for Comment?
The classic example of the same is Safari JavaScript pop-up scareware that was introduced in 2017. According to the Lookout Report, it abuses the pop-up dialogues handlingin Mobile Safari. However, by clearing browser cache and by resorting Mobile Safari functionality, users can resolve it.
Verdict
Considering this, it won’t be erroneous to say iPhone as one of the safest mobile devices.
Keeping your iPhone Safe
Thankfully, Apple has a severe security screening that helps you keep your device safe and secure. All its apps stringently go through it before getting approval for the App Store.   For instance, security checks to download new apps, auto encryption of messages while using iMessage, etc. However, still, no device is completely secure and thus have vulnerabilities.
  
Backup regularly Make sure to update iPhone software regularly Say No to emails as well as links from strangers Say No to Unfamiliar Websites Say No to iPhone JailbreakOne thing that still must be popping in your mind is, do you require an antivirus software?
Indeed, there are several antivirus programs for iPhones. However, a significant chunk of them is Apple’s duplicate.  So, if you need an added iPhone security, count on Apple’s built-in security options rather than anything else.
In Summation
Unquestionably, Leak ware, Adware, spyware, Malware, etc. are the ever-growing threats list for Mobile users, but fortunately, as compared to Windows and Androids users, iPhone is one of the safest and reliable smartphones. So, be a smart user, count on iPhone and stay risk-free with Apple’s dominant security provisions!

Reference:
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/jun/27/petya-ransomware-cyber-attack-who-what-why-how
https://www.forbes.com/sites/quora/2017/03/28/does-apple-still-lead-when-it-comes-to-mobile-device-security/#822de9b33a4a
https://www.theiphonewiki.com/wiki/Malware_for_iOS#Safari_JavaScript_pop-up_scareware_.28March_2017.29


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