Apple warns iPhone scams, spying, ransomware will spike if it is forced to allow third-party apps

Apple has warned scams, ransoms and spying could spread on iPhones if new laws allow users to install apps outside its store.

Apple iPhone users could be blackmailed with personal photos, tricked into letting hackers spy on them, and could unknowingly expose their children to pornography if the tech giant was forced to allow third-party apps on its devices, it warned on Wednesday.

The Cupertino firm launched the stern warning and a report into what it claims are the potential risks of allowing “side-loading” apps into iPhone as proposed in a law by the European Commission.

Apple CEO Tim Cook has spoken out against some rules proposed by the European Commission. Picture: Brooks Kraft / Apple Inc. / AFP

The report comes just days after Apple chief executive Tim Cook called the proposal against the “best interest of users” and said it would “destroy the security of the iPhone and a lot of the privacy initiatives that we’ve built”.

The proposal by the European Commission, in the Digital Markets Act, would see large tech firms forced to “allow the installation and effective use of third-party software applications” outside an official app store to improve competition.

For Apple, this rule would mean iPhone and iPad users would be allowed to “side-load” apps on to their devices, downloading the software from other websites and bypassing Apple’s App Store.

But an Apple representative said this move would also bypass the company’s checks and balances, like checking for malware and ensuring apps did not misuse permissions, and could leave its user open to being exploited.

Changes proposed by the European Commission could see iPhone users install apps from outside Apple’s App Store. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gaye Gerard

In its Trusted Ecosystem report, released to Apple’s Privacy website, the company warned that letting software outside Apple’s ecosystem on to iPhones could lead to a spike in scams targeting the personal information of users.

“Allowing side-loading would open the door to a world where users may not have a choice but to accept these risks because some apps may no longer be available on the App Store and scammers could trick users into thinking they are safely downloading apps from the App Store when that is not the case,” it read.

“Side-loading would expose users to scammers who will exploit apps to mislead users, attack iPhone security features, and violate user privacy.”

The report said, if passed, Apple iPhone users would “have to be constantly on the lookout for scams,” and could see “obscene ads” in apps targeted at children, ransomware issued using personal photos stored on the device, as well as the widespread distribution of pirated apps.

Apple’s biggest competitor, Google, already allows its users to side-load apps, though the Android system also has much higher rates of malware.

The European Commission‘s proposal is expected to be finalised by the end of the year after which negotiations will begin with European countries.

Originally published as Apple warns iPhone scams, spying, ransomware will spike if it is forced to allow third-party apps