Is your iPhone safe from malware? Even though it runs on iOS, it may not be. Hackers are increasingly targeting iPhone users, and you need to make sure your device is safe.
Antivirus for iPhone can offer you a lot of security that you wouldn’t have otherwise – security that can augment, rather than detract from, your iPhone’s built-in security features. For example, antivirus protection for your iPhone can include email filters and protection against malicious websites. It can include protections against physical theft of your phone, password management, and malicious apps. It could even help you protect your privacy and your identity online.
You Need Email Filters and Web Protection
iPhones have built-in protection that’s pretty good against viruses and some types of malware, but these aren’t the only things you have to worry about these days. Many scammers have decided that the easiest way to get access to your personal information, your accounts, and your money is to get you to give them the information they need yourself.
They’ll use social engineering attacks and phishing emails to get you to give them your credit card info or your Social Security number, for example. While you might be able to identify some of these phishing attempts, there might yet come one that’s sophisticated enough to fool you – at least as long as it takes to download a malicious attachment or click a link.
There’s protection against malicious websites to consider, too. In an era when computer viruses are spreading to people who merely visit a website, you can’t rely on your iPhone’s built-in protections any more. You need antivirus software for your iPhone that will protect you from these threats.
You Can’t Really Trust the App Store
If you think that the apps in the App Store are really as safe as Apple says they are, you’ve been lulled into a false sense of security. Hackers have figured out how to slip their malware apps past Apple’s security vetting process in order to get them into the App Store. Malicious apps may operate well and seem perfectly legitimate, but in the background, they’re stealing your info or spamming your contact list.
Physical Theft Can Still Be an Issue
Antivirus software can’t stop someone from picking up your phone, it’s true, but it can allow you to lock your phone remotely, track it if it’s lost, or wipe it completely from afar if that’s what you want. Sure, you could do these things in your iPhone’s settings, but if you forget to adjust those settings before your phone gets stolen, you can log in to your antivirus account on another device and do it that way.
Your Identity and Privacy Could Be Vulnerable, Too
Thirty-three percent of people in the U.S. have already been victims of identity theft. Your identity could have already been compromised – your data could be up for sale on the dark web even as you’re reading this. Thieves could have already taken out credit cards and opened up accounts in your name, and they’re running up tens of thousands in debts that you won’t know about until you start getting collection letters.
You need an antivirus program for your iPhone that includes identity protection features. Identity protection monitors the dark web for your information, as well as regularly checking public records, social media, credit files, and other sources for signs that your identity has been stolen. Many antivirus programs also include some amount of identity insurance to help you recover from the theft, too.
Also, read this article: How to Identify Virus of your PC or Mobile
Of course, there’s your privacy to consider, too. Antivirus programs typically include a virtual private network (VPN) you can use to encrypt your online activity, particularly on public networks. That way, no one can steal your information by spying on your activity.
Password Protection Is a Must-Have
You shouldn’t downplay the role that successful password management can play in your iPhone security. Managing your passwords well means using a unique and suitably complex password for each one of your apps and accounts, and storing them securely in a password manager. Most antivirus programs offer password managers to their users. It’s an easy way to drastically improve your online security.
Do you need antivirus software for your phone? In today’s threat landscape, yes, you do. iPhone antivirus programs can protect you from malware, scams, identity theft, and more. Don’t keep relying on iOS to protect yourself. Give it the help it needs to keep your iPhone safe and secure.
