Security for IOS?

[IR76]

I'm looking to secure my family's iphones as they are tech illiterate and was wondering what you would recommend whether it's an app or setting?

 

I understand since IOS apps are "sandboxed" then no antivirus can scan individual files across the device like on windows but I am more after for security in regards to emails, SMS scams, digital safety etc.

 

Any and all suggestions are welcome 

Thank you very much.

 

Also please don't just say "common sense will save you" and "you don't need an antivirus" I understand that it's just while they have sort of an understanding it's just to ensure as my dad almost clicked on something dodgy a while ago.

 

And yes I know no matter what if they just click yes to everything then nothing will work but additional and preventative security would be worth it compared to getting easily scammed due to poor security.

[Needfuldoer]

How about the parental controls built into iOS? You should be able to restrict them from installing random junk, at the very least.

 

https://support.apple.com/en-us/105121

[IR76]

Just now, Needfuldoer said:

How about the parental controls built into iOS? You should be able to restrict them from installing random junk, at the very least.

 

https://support.apple.com/en-us/105121

Ooo that's a good start don't know why I didn't think of that thank you.

[Skipple]

12 minutes ago, IR76 said:

Also please don't just say "common sense will save you" and "you don't need an antivirus" I understand that it's just while they have sort of an understanding it's just to ensure as my dad almost clicked on something dodgy a while ago.

There is no solution other than education. If I send your Dad an email and ask him for his social security number and his debit PIN, and he willingly replies with that information, that is the weakest point in your chain. (I know this is an outlandish example, but it fits) There is no software or antivirus in the world that's going to prevent this from happening. The only choice is to take the phone away. 

 

Phishing links are your biggest threat right now, not someone downloading a shady executable to their phone. To apple's credit, those are essentially non-existent. 

[whispous]

None of your family are going to get a virus on their iPhone unless they're diplomats. You said not to say it, but you do not need an antivirus on their phones.

[kitnoman]

To be fair, iphones are somewhat secured in of itself. But the problem is the cloud. On top of the parental control. It's a bit expensive, but go with variants with bigger storage and disable email,picture/videos,etc icloud backup. Stick to the free 5gb icloud and only use it to back the actual OS. teach them to back up all other stuff locally(my not be that safe, but much more controllable to keep safe than the icloud).

[BoomerDutch]

Using parental controls should help but its inconvenient, i would suggest to change their default launch application like browser brave for anti ad and more.

 

Build a network for them like buy router and convert into openwrt and configure everything in there like vlan for television and other applications also for wifi turn on isolation so that other devices can't communicate each other.

 

As for mail spam/scam 

Configure their accounts like mark family mails into color or tag and put into trusted folder automatically and companies to companies folder like sort bit out.

 

Otherwise excessive way is build your own mail server and make their emails and start working on filters.

[IR76]

Thanks everyone I'll read and reply to everyone when I get home from work later.

[Skipple]

10 minutes ago, BoomerDutch said:

build your own mail server

No one who has ever configured a mail server would suggest to someone else to configure a mail server. It's a fucking nightmare. 

[BoomerDutch]

3 minutes ago, Skipple said:

No one who has ever configured a mail server would suggest to someone else to configure a mail server. It's a fucking nightmare. 

Doesn't mean you have to build it, you can pay some company a domain and mail and keep website blank and company had set up mail for you.

[OddOod]

Honestly, unless they are a High Value Target, their biggest risk is automated social engineering which you need, like, crowdstrike and tailscale to even attempt to block. Sadly, the easiest thing to train them to do is trust no one and call when unsure up to and including *calling back*. 

That being said, EVERYONE will fall for a scam at some point in their life. I've been hit twice as far as I know (GoT finale and spearphished social engineering). The really important thing to do is to notice that it happened and take appropriate steps to mitigate the damage