Security in iOS and Android: A Comparative Analysis

Abstract

This paper presents a detailed analysis of some relevant security features of iOS and Android —the two most popular operating systems for mobile devices— from the perspective of user privacy. In particular, permissions that can be modified at run time on these platforms are analyzed. Additionally, a framework is introduced for permission analysis, a hybrid mobile application that can run on both iOS and Android. The framework, which can be extended, places special emphasis on the relationship between the user’s privacy and the permission system.