Apple is beefing up App Store security measures.
Apple claims the App Store has blocked a staggering 1.7 million app submissions—effectively preventing fraudulent transactions amounting to $2 billion during 2022.
The Apple App Store—the only destination for Apple users looking to download apps—continues to remain secure as Apple maintains its stance against sideloading and its rigorous app screening protocols and security measures. Apple claims the App Store has blocked 1.7 million app submissions – effectively preventing $2 billion worth of fraudulent transactions during 2022.
Apple get rid of in 2022 4,28,000 developer accounts and 282 million customer accounts that were linked to fraud and customer abuse. Apple blocked 198 million fraudulent accounts before they were fully created.
In addition, it protected users from approximately 57,000 untrusted apps from illegitimate storefronts, “which do not have the same built-in privacy and security protections as the App Store.” Apple notes that these “unauthorized markets” distribute dangerous software that is designed to mimic popular apps—without the developers’ consent.
For app submissions, the Cupertino-based tech giant claims that it conducts multiple security checks on each app before it is made available on the App Store.
“During the development phase, Xcode systematically inspects apps to certify that they are using authorized technologies and to ensure that the app meets the minimum requirements for the App Store,” Apple said. he said.
“After a developer uploads their app to App Store Connect, additional checks are run to verify that it does not reference private APIs and is free of known malware. Once reviewed, each submission is carefully reviewed by a member of the App Review team to ensure that it meets Apple’s standards for quality and security.
By providing app review support, Apple helped more than 185,000 developers launch their apps on the App Store out of 6.1 million app submissions. Apple’s app review system has detected apps with harmful code and with the potential to hijack users’ credentials from other services. The company also highlighted apps that pretended to be “harmless financial management platforms” but could turn into a malicious, completely different app.
In 2022, the App Store handled an astonishing 1 billion ratings and reviews, and prevented nearly 3.9 million stolen credit cards from being used for fraudulent purchases, and 714,000 accounts from making any further transactions.
Overall, the company blocked a total of $2.09 billion in fraudulent transactions on the App Store in 2022.
“Apple takes credit card fraud very seriously, and is committed to protecting the App Store and its users from such stress. For example, with Apple Pay, credit card numbers are never shared with merchants. thus eliminating risk factors in the payment transaction process,” Apple said.
