Apple is using the growing threat of malware on its Mac platform as a defence in a lawsuit that could force the company to open up new channels of applications for its mobile iOS platform.
Company is using threat of attacks as defence in case brought against it by Epic Games after Fortnite was booted from the App Store for trying to circumvent developer fees.
Malware Threat
In testimony in a California court Wed., Apple Head of Software Engineering, Craig Federighi called the level of malware threat against the Mac platform, one that the company finds “unacceptable” & continue to defend against with restrictive application-distribution platforms, according to a published report on CNET.
Federighi’s comments were made as Apple executives begin testifying in a court case (PDF) Epic Games—the maker of the hugely popular Fortnite—have brought against the tech giant for what Epic views as restrictive policies on the iOS App Store.
Proceedings in the case began earlier this month in the US District Court, Northern District of California, & top Apple executives were testifying to defend their side this week.
Windows Platform
Criticising the security of its own platform is a change for Apple, which for years boasted about the security of Mac over rival Windows platform. The company even began running a popular comedic television advertising campaign illustrating this point of difference starting in 2006.
For years, it was certainly true that PCs suffered the bulk of the malware woes while the Mac platform remained a more secure option, largely due to its proprietary nature.
While all of the software on an Apple machine was more or less vetted by Apple & could only be used on computers sold by the company, the use of Windows on different hardware platforms & its general ubiquity as a PC platform—made it a more open field for attackers.
Problem
Now the malware threat landscape has changed—particularly with the explosion of the iPhone, iPad & mobile devices in general & Apple is now under attack, Federighi observed.
This is why security remains a primary focus for Apple & why it should be able to continue its strict management of the software available via the App Store—including policies that are at the centre of the Epic lawsuit, he explained.
“It’s an endless game of whack-a-mole,” Federighi commented of the Apple malware problem, according to the report. He stated Apple’s closed approach to the App Store is key to protecting the security of the massive iPhone user base, which numbers more than 1b.
Modern Smartphone
“It’s an attractive target,” he observed, according to the report, also noting that cameras, microphones, location data & 2-factor authentication are standard technology for the modern smartphone. “All of these things make access or control of these devices potentially incredibly valuable to an attacker.”
Indeed, attackers certainly have been finding ways to exploit both Mac & iOS platforms in unprecedented ways in recent years, with the company patching vulnerabilities & making security fixes as quickly as they can find them.
Unscheduled Updates
Earlier this month, Apple released 4 unscheduled updates for iOS, macOS, & watchOS, to slap security patches on flaws in its WebKit browser engine.
A week before, Apple patched a zero-day vulnerability in its MacOS that can bypass critical anti-malware capabilities & which a variant of the notorious Mac threat Shlayer adware dropper already had been exploiting for several months.
Bypass Content Filters
2021 has been a less-than good year so far for Apple security. The company started the year by removing a contentious macOS feature that allowed some Apple apps to bypass content filters, VPNs & 3rd-party firewalls.
They quickly followed that up with an emergency update to patch 3 zero-day vulnerabilities discovered in iOS after a major software update in Nov. of last year already fixed 3 that were being actively exploited.
Before that, 2020 also saw many Apple patches for zero-day flaws on iOS, including 2 that had apparently been abused for years before discovery.
Case Against Apple
All of this now could be used as leverage in Apple’s defence of Epic’s suit against the company, which alleges violations of antitrust laws through its Apple App Store policies on iOS devices, according to the California court’s website for keeping up with the proceedings.
Fortnite’s creators also brought a similar suit against Google after Fortnite was kicked off both the App Store & the Google Play Store for trying to bypass 30% developer fees each takes from developers of apps to sell on each respective market.
Developer Agreements
Apple’s counter-claim against Epic in the suit is that the breached its developer agreements & App Store guidelines by introducing a direct pay option for Fortnite on iOS devices to bypass the fees.
Now the court must decide whether Apple should be allowed to maintain its practice of permitting apps to only be installed on its devices through its own proprietary App Store, & whether these developer fees can be maintained. The trial continues this week.
https://www.cybernewsgroup.co.uk/virtual-conference-june-2021/
