Kaspersky Suggests Lack Of iOS Antivirus Will ‘Mean Disaster For Apple’

Posted on May 22, 2012 by AppleBitch


The head honcho of the Kaspersky Labs security company, Eugene Kaspersky, is suggesting that the fact that Apple will not allow endpoint security software on iOS devices is a disastrous move (The Register via TNW). Obviously disappointed that we won’t be installing Kaspersky Antivirus 2012 software on the iPad and iPhone any time soon, Kaspersky said “We as a security company are not able to develop true endpoint security for iOS….That will mean disaster for Apple”.

He further goes on to suggest that Android will control up to 80% of the market share in 2015 due to security issues on other platforms like iOS (they’re gonna have to increase market share by over 30% in 3 years if that’s the case). Kaspersky also made the news recently for suggesting that Apple were 10 years behind Microsoft in security.

As much as many people would love to pay $60 a year to have Kaspersky Security Software delivering premium protection from viruses, Trojans, spam, hackers and more on their iOS device, it’s likely that they’re not losing any sleep over a lack of antivirus software on iOS devices. However, given that over 300 million iOS devices have been sold around the world, that’s a large market share for antivirus software developers to target, so you can imagine Kaspersky’s continuing disappointment.

Disastrously Awesome…

Also on AppleBitch.com:

This entry was posted in News and tagged , , , . Bookmark the permalink.
  • iBrad

    Big lol- “Microsoft are 10 years ahead of Apple in security” how can that be measured when the rate of infections on a windows computer is drastically more than macs?

    I think Apple do a good job of security because of the way they write the OS. They give apps a ‘bubble space’ with access to powerful APIs away from the shell.

    Windows says to third parties: “Once the user allows the application to make changes to your computer, the app can access the whole library of extensions and core OS files…

    • http://www.facebook.com/luis.beraza.3 Luis Beraza

      From someone named iBrad, that is a biased opinion if I ever read one,

  • Ben Aurich

    In the article you referenced from the register, Kaspersky agrees that “it is much more difficult to infect iOS” but the problem is that when it becomes infected (and to think that it won’t is ridiculous) it will cause wide-spread data loss and panic.  Kaspersky’s goal does not seem to be to be able to sell a product but to educate and warn.

    • http://www.facebook.com/bryan.dobson Bryan Dobson

      Are you kidding? The goal is 100% to sell products… it’s what they do. The more viruses and malware out there the more money they make. I went years on my PC without an anti-virus. Unless you’re going to jailbreak your phone you do not need antivirus on your phone.

  • JamesKatt

    Viruses and malware do not run in iOS.  Only apps downloaded from iTunes, which are screened, strongly sandboxed, and signed (so the developer is known) can run on iOS – unless the user destroys security by jailbreaking.  There is no need for an antivirus on iOS.  There has never been a virus in iOS.

    The only security problem left is that caused by the web browser.  Still – even with this – viruses can’t be installed in iOS.

    Kapersky can create an antivirus app.  Nothing is stopping it.  The main problem is that the app is limited to running in its own sandbox.  It can’t interfere with other apps nor the system. Ha ha ha.

  • puggsly

    Anti-virus software is not rocket science. To imply that only third party developers could possibly keep iOS devices safe is amazing to me. Apple has a quarantine system in place that is updated without user intervention. This will be augmented by a code signing process that should take the guesswork out of virus signatures and all of this runs on a locked down environment that requires approval before giving access to install software. 

    Past history is no indication of future results (in legal terms) but to totally bet against history seems stupid or in this vendors case, maybe desperate. IMHO

    • http://www.applebitch.com AppleBitch

       Could put it down to frustration that there’s 300 million potential antivirus customers out there that Kapersky can’t target