Apple dials up encryption even further as mobile threats soar

“The monthly smartphone infection rate in the second half of 2016 jumped 83% from the first six months, with overall infections in mobile networks reaching an all-time high in October, according to new data from Nokia,” Phil Muncaster reports for InfoSecurity.

“The infection rate in mobile networks – which includes Windows/PC systems connected by dongle and mobile IoT devices – rose ‘steadily’ during the year to hit a new high of 1.35% in October,” Muncaster reports. “The vast majority of infections (85%) discovered in mobile networks belonged to smartphones, with Android (81%) the main culprit, followed by Windows/PCs (15%) and 4% linked to iPhones and other mobile devices.”

MacDailyNews Take: Android. Open. As in: Wide.

“The news comes as Apple issued its iOS 10.3 release, designed to fix a Safari-based scareware issue and more importantly roll out a whole new file system which will make encryption an even bigger part of devices,” Muncaster reports. “Reports suggest it could help users save some disk space and speed up performance, but perhaps most controversially will support strong full disk encryption natively… This is sure to raise the heckles of law enforcers and politicians on both sides of the Atlantic but will please businesses and Apple users no end.”

Read more in the full article here.

MacDailyNews Take: 🙂

SEE ALSO:
Apple’s iOS 10.3 delivers brand-new Apple File System – March 28, 2017
iOS 10.3’s longer than usual installation likely due to switch to new Apple File System – March 28, 2017
Apple releases iOS 10.3, watchOS 3.2, and tvOS 10.2 – March 27, 2017
You must back up your iPhone and iPad before upgrading to Apple’s iOS 10.3, due soon – March 10, 2017
Apple’s iOS 10.3: A very, very important upgrade – January 25, 2017
APFS: What Apple’s new Apple File System means to you – June 24, 2016
APFS: New Apple File System promises more speed, flexibility, reliability – June 17, 2016
The feds’ll hate this: Apple’s new APFS file system ‘engineered with encryption as a primary feature’ – June 14, 2016
Buh-bye HFS+, hello APFS (Apple File System) for macOS! – June 14, 2016
Apple can do better than Sun’s ZFS – October 26, 2009
Apple discontinues ZFS project, turns attention to own next-gen file system – October 24, 2009
Apple’s Mac OS X Snow Leopard Server’s ZFS goes MIA – June 9, 2009

10 Comments

  1. Heckles raised and appreciated.

    This is rediculois we have to feel bad while trying to protect and defend ourselves. This is not even anti-government, but simply anti crime. We have to go to great lengths for security and we are told, “Oh no, you might be a terrorist.” !!!!

  2. “Android (81%) the main culprit, followed by Windows/PCs (15%) and 4% linked to iPhones and other mobile devices.”

    I just love this. They can not claim security through obscurity now. Windows phones have almost nothing in percentage of the mobile market, however they make up 15% of the infections. Yes I know that is also through a dongle to a PC not just phone; however it shows how crackers are willing to put more effort because they can get results easier than with iOS. Android does have a larger share of phones, however not that large over Apple mobile devices. Also the targets (as in people/enterprise with money) are better with iOS. So it’s not that Apple is being ignored because they are small, it’s because it’s to hard for your average internet thief. There was also the language excuse in the Win vs Mac days. Most people did not know C based languages so the did not write for Mac. The code knowledge for Android and iOS are very close. I like how Apple and other are at 4%. The other would basically have to be Blackberry. That would put Apple at less than 4%, but you know we must make Apple look as bad as possible. It also shows that closed systems like iOS and BB are safer. To business people that is/should be one of the top priorities.

  3. Excellent!

    More about the new iOS file system: Yes, it is Son-Of-ZFS, aka APFS, coming to Mac with macOS 10.13. This is brilliant.

    First announced at the Worldwide Developers’ Conference last year, the Apple File System (APFS) will replace the decades-old Hierarchical File System (HFS). . . .

    Users will be able to choose a maximum security “multi-key encryption with per-file keys for file data, and a separate key for sensitive metadata”.

    As described by Apple: “Multi-key encryption ensures the integrity of user data even when its physical security is compromised.”

    This is what is considered to be a ‘modern’ file system. (Well, until ‘modern’ is redefined again). Hurray. Hurrah.
    🍾🎊🎉🍻👏🥂

  4. You are going to need all the privacy tools you can afford, because the TeleCom/Cable lobby has the GOP in it’s hands and is moving quickly.

    As we read this, Congress is gutting the FCC rules that prohibit your ISP from tracking and selling your every move. As the point of entry to the internet they have access to everything and most end users are happy to use the ISPs DNS which tell them even more.
    Comcast, AT&T and others want to track you and sell your web browsing history for profit. Currently the only thing stopping them is an FCC rule. S.J.Res 34, which strips the rule and the FCC from imposing such rules in the future, passed the Senate Friday in a Party Line vote- every Republican present voted for it. Now the companion bill HJRes 86 will be up for a vote shortly. If it passes the Republican controlled Senate the only thing it will lack is Trump’s signature.

    If this thing passes any ISP will be free to sell your personally identifiable browsing history to the highest bidder for profit. I guess that is Making America Great Again if you are AT&T.

    https://www.privateinternetaccess.com/blog/2017/03/today-congresss-final-vote-get-rid-internet-privacy-protections-web-browsing-history/

    I would suggest you call your US Representative today and find out how they intend to vote.

    1. It’s not just the telecoms. After the Westminster Bridge incident, the UK press is full of calls from the Government to prohibit encryption in apps like WhatsApp and Apple Messages unless the company provides back door access to the security services and police.

      As MDN never fails to point out, there is no way to provide easy access to the good guys without also providing it to the bad guys. No technologically feasible means of access can assist only a police officer with a judicial warrant but never an illegal hacker.

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