Myth debunked: iOS devices more prone to attacks than Android

There is a myth and misconception that iOS devices are more “secure” compared to Android. In fact, this myth might have been recently debunked in a report from security firm Lookout. The report has revealed that iOS devices might actually be more prone to attacks than its Android counterpart.

The report found that in the first three quarters of 2024, 19% of enterprise iOS devices were exposed to at least one mobile phishing attack. This is versus the 10.9% of Android devices. To be fair, there are more Android devices than iOS devices out there. But based purely on percentage, iOS devices are almost twice as likely to be attacked compared to Android.

One of the reasons why some believe that iOS is more secure is because of Apple’s walled garden approach. The company tries its hardest to control everything from software to hardware. Apple’s unwillingness to open up iOS the same way as Android is also another reason that perception is believed.

Android allows users to install apps outside of the Play Store. This in turn gives users more flexibility, but it also leaves them open to potentially downloading malware and installing it on their devices. There are, of course, other ways of attacking a device. Based on this report, phishing seems to be a popular method of launching attacks on iOS devices whose users seem to fall prey more often than Android.