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Are you an Apple person or an Android person? The question can determine who you date, how much you earn in the markets – and how secure your data is.
GOOG, -0.88%
released its Pixel 3 this week, a new smartphone running Android, recognized for its high quality camera. But security on Android devices is an entirely different problem, security experts say. The Pixel would be Google's most secure device to date, with a security chip that encrypts the data on the device.
Like the debate between Apple
AAPL, + 1.39%
Android is raging, here are some security differences to consider between the two operating systems when considering a new phone:
Confidentiality measures
There is a difference between "privacy" and "security," said Jessica Ortega, a website security analyst at SiteLock, a cloud-based security company based in Scottsdale, Arizona. Confidentiality is the way data is processed and stored, and in this area, Apple is superior, she said.
"In terms of privacy, Android is still the second choice," she said. "Android's requirement that data stored on mobile devices must be transmitted to Google's servers and used for targeted advertising and creating a user profile makes Android a more mobile operating system." customizable, but less private.
Alternatively, Apple has made clear its commitment to data privacy, storing more data locally on the device and sending less to its server for targeting ads.
"Some companies will try to make you believe that" I need all your data to improve my services. Well, do not believe it. Whoever tells you, it's a bunch of nonsense, "said Apple Vice President, Apple, at Vice News Tonight.
Security on the device
Android collects and sells more data to advertisers, but which devices are less vulnerable to hacking? Apple again, says Ortega. Indeed, Apple's iOS more closely controls the applications allowed to be sold on the App Store.
"Because Android is proud to be open-source to some extent, it's much easier to add apps to its Play Store, which has had the effect of making apps malicious attacks beyond security checks, "said Ortega. "Unlike Android's Play Store, the iPhone App Store is much more restrictive and requires a thorough security scan of all apps before distribution."
In August, Google removed 145 Android apps from its Play app store, after security company Palo Alto Networks informed Google that they were infected with malware and stealing data from Google. users.
Google's Android platform is seen as an open source with a much more accessible development platform and game store. This means that web developers can more easily create content and applications for Android phones, and users can customize their devices more easily. Apple is much more restrictive, which means less malicious applications, but also less customization for the end user.
Software updates
Another disadvantage for Android? Its software updates infrequent. In July 2015, a security researcher discovered a bug in the Android device code that left more than 950 million devices vulnerable to hackers. Such bugs are exacerbated by the company's failure to deliver updates to users.
"Google still has very little control over software updates and Android users are essentially at the mercy of their operators and phone manufacturers for updates or new versions of operating systems, "Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai, security reporter at VICE's motherboard, wrote in his article" Goodbye, Android ", explaining why he had opted for an iPhone.
In 2013, the American Civil Liberties Union filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission, asking the agency to investigate mobile phone operators such as AT & T, Verizon, Sprint and T Mobile for failing to inform customers that Google's Android system could work without critical security updates.
"Android smartphones that do not receive quick and regular security updates are faulty and unreasonably dangerous," wrote the ACLU.
Other privacy efforts to make
Although for many of these measures, Apple is safer, users have a responsibility to do more than choose the "smarter" smartphone, said David Ginsburg, vice president of marketing at Cavirin, a cybersecurity company based in Santa Clara, California.
"The safety of your phone is just one aspect of your personal cyber attitude," he said. "In terms of privacy, these are the apps you install and use, and you have a good understanding of their privacy policies."
The purchase of a more secure phone could protect you from malware and harmful applications, but this will not protect you from data-related scandals, such as the recent Facebook violation of the FB with Cambridge Analytica, which has affected 87 million users or phishing attacks, emails presenting themselves as legitimate sources of access to password information. To avoid such security concerns, users must use basic digital hygiene, such as password managers and two-step verification.
The verdict? Apple is your best choice for built-in privacy, but you must take your own steps to prevent hacking of your devices, even if you trust your phone system.
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