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Can any one please advise me I've just brought an ipad3 do I need an anti virus protection on it thanx very much
No. Your iPad cannot be infected by a virus or malware.
Mini_mi said:Actually it could be infected just like any electronic device. Now the likelihood of it happening is slim due to Apple's tight control on software. If you were to jail break your IPad, your chances of infection go up.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
...If you were to jail break your IPad, your chances of infection go up.
Ah, but those are ads that are built into the game itself. That's the developer doing that to you, not malicious code found "in the wild" on the Internet.
Of course, it could be argued that it's the same (vicious code) - but still, it's two different things.
As to why it would be difficult for the iPad to get a virus - it's because viruses, by definition, spread themselves by compromising program after program on a computer. However, on the iPad, apps can't talk to each other (other than to call forth one using the "Open In..." function). So, since the apps can't talk to each other, unless you specifically ask them to (by using the open function), they can't spread a virus amongst themselves. it's the [in]famous "sandbox" security that Apple has developed.
Then, there is the fact that the only place to get apps is the App Store. Those apps are rigorously vetted to make sure they don't contain malicious code. Granted, one could slip through, but it would be rare (and probably quickly dealt with).
Granted, those of us that jail break don't get our tweaks from the App Store, so there is a bit of "danger" there. However, as long as we stick to the trusted repositories and download only the tweaks that are from reputable coders, we're very safe. If jail breakers were to get malicious code from one of the trusted repositories, the community would be up in arms, same as if it happened at the App Store. So, I'm confident my iPad is just as secure as a stock one.
Of course, if a jail breaker wanders off into the piracy related areas and starts downloading stuff willy-nilly, well then, he or she runs a much greater risk of contamination. But, since I don't like pirates (thieves) anyway - I'm okay with that.
Again, as was said, this doesn't mean the iPad can't get a virus or malicious code. It just makes it very difficult. So, for now, we (stock owners and jail breakers alike) are pretty safe.
There, probably more than you though you wanted, eh? Hope it helps/clarifies.
Marilyn
theTimo said:Actually, the App Store doesn't have much to do with the virus threat. Of course the threat would be bigger if there were lots of suspcious apps to be downloaded. But the viruses might as well come along with email and just plain surfing in the web.
I think it's only matter of time that the threat grows to be worth taking care of. The amount of iOS devices is so big already.
Even if a virus infected app were to somehow get onto an iPad, it would be prevented from spreading to any other apps by the sandboxed nature of how apps operate on the iPad.
The irony is that nobody but Apple would be able to write any kind of effective anti-virus tool, IF a virus was to be written and released into the wild, as a 3rd party tool cannot operate outside of the sandbox!