One of the most common misconceptions about Apple products is that they are virtually virus-proof due to their proprietary OS and technology. Unfortunately, this notion is wrong, and if you’re an iPad owner, then yes, your iPad can get a virus. The good news is that iPads can’t get what many consider a “traditional” virus.
The lack of traditional viruses means that the chances of your iPad getting infected by shared viruses aimed at Windows and Android OS are none. But the threat of malware is still applicable to viruses and malware designed for Apple devices. Here are some of the most common ways to avoid them.
Table Of Contents
The App Store Prevents You From Getting Viruses
Always use the Apple App Store to download any apps that you want to use on your iPad. These apps are pre-checked by Apple to ensure they don’t violate Apple’s rules and guidelines or infect users with malicious software. Unfortunately, downloading apps from third-party websites doesn’t include this protection, putting your device at risk with every download.
Suppose you want additional device security when online. In that case, there are different Apple-approved tools on the App Store that you can download. With most of the famous and quality apps being available in the store, there’s no reason for you to download apps and software from shady third-party websites at all.
Scammers Will Still Try and Get You
Suppose you have the habit of visiting different websites for eCommerce and other stuff from your iPad. In that case, you’ll often come across shady ones that suddenly display pop-ups with messages like “Apple Support has found malware on your iPad.” Then the website will conveniently proceed to offer to remove the malware from your device by subscribing to or downloading a particular app.
It would be best to avoid clicking or interacting with these ads. Their primary purpose is to facilitate online scams known as “phishing.” The end goal of these scams is to extract important personal information like credit card information, email address, physical address, business documents, etc. Fortunately, most of these scams are easy to identify due to the poor quality of the websites and the ads themselves.
Congratulations, You’ve Been Tricked
One of the main criticisms against Apple products is the homogenized nature of their software. As a result of using the same software on different devices, the flaws apparent on one device also carry on to the other ones. This principle is true for Safari, the web browser that comes by default with all Apple products. Unfortunately, like Internet Explorer, Safari also has a bad reputation for having weak malware and virus protection.
One of the most common scams that are seen in Safari are different variations of “congratulations, you’ve won an Amazon/retailer gift card.” Keep away from these pages, as these are prime sources of scams and virus downloads. If Apple has any offers for its users, they display them on the App store page. So there’s very little chance you’re going to miss out on any actual offers.
Avoid Jailbreaking Your iPad
While it may be very tempting to do so, especially if you live outside the US, don’t jailbreak your iPad to make it more efficient. When you do so, you lose many pre-installed safety measures and advanced functionalities.
Many advanced users do this to improve the performance and battery life of the device. Unfortunately, though jailbreaking does have its advantages, your iPad’s warranty and support get voided by this action. What this means is if anything goes wrong after the jailbreak, you’ll be stuck between paying an outrageous repair bill or buying a new tab.
Practice These Tips on Your Phone and Computer Too
Last but not least, if you have any other Apple devices aside from your iPad, practice these tips on those devices as well. Interconnectivity is a massive advantage of Apple products; maintaining them is straightforward due to the homogenous nature of iOS.
When it comes to computer virus removal, installing good antivirus software should suffice. But, worse comes to worst, seek expert help by getting in touch with your local Apple outlet or a professional computer repair service.
Keeping Your Tablet Safe
If you had any confusion about whether your iPad can get a virus or not, now you know for sure. As long as you keep the tips discussed in this article in mind, you should have no problems keeping your iPad safe from viruses. However, if your device does get infected with a virus, make sure the first thing you do is get in touch with a professional.
