Rick’s Tech Tips Newsletter
Question from Theresa: Rick, I was wondering if it’s possible for an infected email to load a virus onto a smartphone?
Last night I was using my iPhone to check my email and I accidentally opened an email that appeared to be from China while I was trying to delete it. When the email opened up it said it was downloading a file.
I haven’t noticed any problems with the phone so far. I’m cautiously optimistic because I’ve always been told that only Windows computers are subject to virus infections.
Do you think I have anything to worry about? Thanks in advance for your answer!
Rick’s answer: Theresa, whoever told you that only Windows PCs are subject to virus infections is incorrect. Any device that downloads and executes program code is capable of “catching” a virus. and I do mean ANY device.
That being said, I seriously doubt that the rogue email that downloaded a file to your iPhone infected it, even if the file did in fact contain a virus.
Apple has designed iOS (the operating system that runs on your iPhone) to be very resistant to viruses and other forms of malware.
Is it possible for an iPhone to catch a virus? As I mentioned above, the answer is yes. But it’s so unlikely that I don’t believe there’s any need to install a dedicated antivirus app.
And here’s something else to consider: Most hackers are still aiming their malicious code directly at Windows machines because there are so many of them in existence.
But that being said, more malware is being aimed at mobile devices every day, but most of their targets are running Android, not iOS.
Android devices are much more susceptible to malware than iPhones because Android is a vastly more open (and therefore vastly more vulnerable) operating system than Apple’s iOS.
That’s why I recommend that you install a quality antivirus app on all of your Android devices.
Now all the above being said, iPhone users are still susceptible to phishing attempts and other non-virus based threats. Therefor you should always use “safe computing” practices regardless of the type of device you might be using.
It would also be a good idea to install a quality general security app such as Malwarebytes on your iPhone. Just make sure it’s primary purpose is to protect against threats other than viruses.
Bottom line: While it’s possible that the file the rogue email downloaded to your phone contains malware of some sort, I seriously doubt that it will do any harm to your iPhone. Had you been using an Android phone instead I would give you a very different answer.