Apple Inc.\u2019s top software engineer criticized the security of his own Mac operating system in a bid to explain why the company shouldn\u2019t be forced by a judge to loosen its hold over iPhone and iPad app distribution, as Epic Games Inc. is demanding.<\/p>\n
Craig Federighi, Apple\u2019s senior vice president of software engineering, testified Wednesday at a trial in federal court in Oakland, California, that his experience with imported malware on the macOS system shows how security would be eroded if the company allowed iPhone and iPad users to install software from the web or other stores, as it does on the Mac.<\/p>\n
\u201cToday we have a level of malware on the Mac that we don\u2019t find acceptable,\u201d primarily because the system allows users to install software that isn\u2019t vetted by Apple, Federighi said. That makes it less secure than iOS and iPadOS, the operating systems that power the iPhone and iPad, he said.<\/p>\n
Allowing apps from other stores or places on the iPhone would create a \u201cvery, very bad situation for our customers,\u201d including \u201ca huge decrease in their safety,\u201d Federighi said. He also said iPhones and iPads have security protections, including the App Store review process, to keep the products free from malware.<\/p>\n
Later in his testimony, Federighi said that despite its malware problems, the Mac is the safest choice among personal computers and is more secure than those running Microsoft Corp.\u2019s Windows operating system.<\/p>\n
Federighi said that the rival Android operating system, which allows third-party stores, faces similar security challenges. \u201cIt\u2019s well understood in the security community that Android has a malware problem.\u201d Apple\u2019s iOS, on the other hand, has succeeded in blocking malware, he said.<\/p>\n
Responding to a hypothetical situation in which third-party app download stores would be allowed, Federighi said that Apple\u2019s \u201csecurity stack\u201d is built end-to-end in a way that it would be challenging to let third parties in to manage user security and privacy. He would have \u201cgrave concerns\u201d if Apple had to hand off control over security to third parties, he said.<\/p>\n
Earlier in the trial, Epic tried to make the point that if installing software from third-party stores on the Mac is condoned by Apple, it should be allowed on the iPhone and iPad as well. Epic\u2019s lawyer tried to poke holes in Apple\u2019s retort Wednesday, asking Federighi if Apple tells users they should buy iPads instead of Macs if they are seeking security.<\/p>\n
Apple\u2019s security and privacy safeguards draw users to iOS devices, Federighi said. \u201cWhen users buy an Apple device, they\u2019re doing it because they\u2019ve chosen an intuitive, consistent user experience that\u2019s safe, that they can trust.\u201d<\/p>\n
Federighi said the total Mac user base is less than one-tenth of the size of the iPhone and iPad population, which is estimated to be more than a billion active devices.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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