Apple blocked nearly two million malicious iOS apps last year

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https://www.techradar.com/news/apple-says-it-blocked-nearly-two-million-malicious-or-insecure-ios-apps-last-year

Apple claims it rejected nearly 1.7 million submissions to its App Store in 2022, citing a failure to meet the company's “high standards for privacy, security, and content.” App submissions weren’t the only target for suspicious activity, though, with 428,000 developer accounts and an astonishing 282 million customer accounts also being pulled out for fraud and abuse.

Currently, the platform hosts 36 million registered Apple developers and attracts 650 million weekly visitors from across the globe, but the company is facing increasing pressure to open up and allow app installations from outside of its proprietary App Store.

The 428,000 developer accounts terminated in 2022 is down significantly from the 802,000 in the year prior, but this is thanks mostly to the company’s more stringent automated screening measures rather than a decline in malicious users.

Additionally, 147 million fraudulent ratings and reviews - more often than not generated by bots - were detected and subsequently blocked, as well as $2 billion in fraudulent transactions.

Related article

App Store's anti-fraud measures halt more than $2 billion in 2022 - gHacks Tech News

Apple has shared new information about its security measures in the App Store, saying that over $2 billion were saved. Here are more numbers!

www.ghacks.net

 

[Trident]

Yeah, the Apple App stores are by far the only stores that have implemented strict measures. These measures are without a doubt a successful cash generator for Apple but they are also in the interest of developers and users. Being controlled, developers provide quality apps, the users then reaches within their pocket and pays up. The user is provided with great experience, the developer is happy and Apple takes their cut.

The European Union now (after they solved all of their problems) has focused their attention on the Apple iOS App Store and wants to allow users to sideload apps, which will include malicious software, cracked software (such as Spotify and games that will require no in-app purchases) and others. The user will be downloading low-quality apps and won’t pay, the developer/service provider will lose revenue and Apple won’t take a cut. So who is all this good for?

 

[MuzzMelbourne]

Good points Trident.

This silly EU thing worried me at first, but then I thought, they're not forcing Apple to reduce the security of the app store or the developer vetting process, all they are really doing is forcing Apple to make jailbreaking a device easier, or not necessary.

I certainly won't be downloading anything outside the app store, so, does it really matter? Idiots will still be idiots, there will just be more, less tech savvy, idiots with 'bricks' in their pockets.

Or, maybe I'm missing something...

 

[Trident]

Good points Trident.

This silly EU thing worried me at first, but then I thought, they're not forcing Apple to reduce the security of the app store or the developer vetting process, all they are really doing is forcing Apple to make jailbreaking a device easier, or not necessary.

I certainly won't be downloading anything outside the app store, so, does it really matter? Idiots will still be idiots, there will just be more, less tech savvy, idiots with 'bricks' in their pockets.

Or, maybe I'm missing something...

The thing is once the restriction to put apps on the store is gone, many vendors may pull out. This will force users to download from other stores and this opens the door to many risks.

The European Union doesn’t realise that power has not Apple with their trillion in revenue, not them with their laws, not developers or anybody else — the user and the huge mass with their wallet is the power. They are giving even more power now to users, not to pay for apps. Apple and developers will lose and cybercriminals (through fake apps and many other risks that will pop up) will buy a yacht, in addition to the houses in Hawaii most of them own. The only one profiting will be them.

 

[MuzzMelbourne]

The thing is once the restriction to put apps on the store is gone,

I'm not sure that is the case is it?

I mean, Apple still holds ultimate veto, so the EU can say/legislate what they like, doesn't mean apps automatically have to be accepted by Apple.

Maybe they don't like the font used... or the music used... i'm sure Apple can find something to keep the app store safe. Sideloader's can do what they want as far as I'm concerned and they deserve what they get, simple 'buyer beware' IMHO.

Nah, not overly stressed at this point...

 

[Trident]

Nah, not overly stressed at this point...

I’m not stressed either, but it just feels like one good thing is about to get destroyed due to lack of competence.

I am not willing to download anything outside the store myself. If anything is not on there then I won’t be using it.

 

[MuzzMelbourne]

I’m not stressed either, but it just feels like one good thing is about to get destroyed due to lack of competence.

Yeah, agreed, bloody annoying pack of fools for sure...