iPhone users have a tendency to believe their devices are impregnable. There is no way malware could affect them, and hackers might as well not even try. There are legitimate reasons for this. I mean, some users see how difficult it is to take an iPhone apart, and correlate that with invulnerability. But others know that Apple’s closed system makes it far more difficult for malware and hackers to succeed, and therefore they try their luck with Android instead.
In fact, in a 2015 report, Pulse Secure estimated that 97% of mobile malware was written for Android devices. Although a couple of years have since passed, it’s unlikely that figure is close to evening out.
So, with all the hype surrounding VPNs these days, you might be wondering whether your iPhone really needs any extra security.
Is iPhone secure enough or could a VPN save you from malicious hacks?
Third party apps are vulnerable
Apple vets every app before adding it to the app store. Developers who refuse to play by Apple’s rules will simply find their apps incompatible with iPhones or iPads. This makes third party apps on an Apple device more secure than those in the Google store.
Nonetheless, bad code could leave room for vulnerabilities. The App Store is unable to root out every soft spot.
Therefore, even if you feel your iPhone is secure without a VPN in general, you should consider using a VPN when accessing content through third party apps.
You’re choosing to put your info out there
But the more compelling reason to use a VPN on an iPhone is that, while the device and tis software itself may be secure, you’re constantly venturing “outside” of your iPhone. In other words, you can be reasonably comfortable that hackers won’t be able to steal information directly from your phone. But when you actually do anything with your phone, you’re leaving an online footprint.
The point is that a VPN is not antivirus software. It is privacy software. Apple protects you from one, but not necessarily from the other. Hackers don’t need to get into your device in order to cause you harm. They can track your activity from “outside”, along with your location – which is revealed in your IP – and use what they learn to steal or at least compromise your identity.
Third party VPNs
At the moment, Apple does not provide its own VPN. That would be an incredibly useful service, but it’s unlikely to become a reality in the near-future. After all, Apple forces you to use their devices like they want, and by you obfuscating your server, you can begin to circumvent their micromanaging. They like to nanny their users, and it’s far easier to do this without a VPN in place.
For now, you’ll have to use a third party VPN. Websites like SecureThoughts review different VPN services, and it’s a good idea to do some in depth research before diving in.
Whether or not you use a VPN on your iPhone is up to you. It is important, however, that you’re aware that your device is not invulnerable.
