iPhone antivirus: do we need it?

By Stephen Withers
Friday, 18 July 2008 12:30

Technology

Security software company Intego is bragging that its VirusBarrier X5 10.5.3 is the first antivirus package that can scan the iPhone or iPod touch for malware. But is it just hype?

According to Intego officials, "Now that Apple has made it possible for users to add applications to the iPhone and iPod touch, there is a risk of installing applications that can harm these devices, or take control of them."

If people were going around downloading iPhone applications from all sorts of shady corners of the Internet, the risk might be significant. But given that Apple puts iPhone applications through an approval process before they can be sold in the App Store, I wouldn't be too worried about the risk of malware. (I don't own an iPhone, so maybe I can afford to take that attitude.)

However, those with 'jailbreaked' iPhones may be at a greater risk, as it's harder to be confident that a new application isn't a Trojan.

But is there any iPhone malware? The only example I've heard of was a Trojan that appeared in January, purporting to be a system update.

Even though there are reportedly vulnerabilities in the iPhone, VirusBarrier isn't going to be much help against a web exploit as it doesn't run on the iPhone instead. It's a Mac AV program that copies the contents of the iPhone or iPod touch to the Mac and then scans it for "malware or files that indicate that exploits have compromised the devices."

Where does that get you? Please read on.