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Just read this about safety and security.


While it remains easy for users to get these applications, an iOS device that has sideloaded apps opens up another vector for bad actors to get spyware and other malicious software onto your iOS device. You should be sure you can trust the third-party app store where you got the IPA file or app.
Seems like it all depends where or how you got the ipa. The only 100% way to be safe is if you saved the ipa yourself or compiled it yourself if that is the right term.

Otherwise it is almost impossible to be sure.

Sucks.

Sometimes you lose access to it without notice.

To bad there is no malware and virus scanner for apps
 
Is it safe and secure as well?
There are two ways to "side load" apps: One is to jailbreak your iPhone. Which means any security supplied by Apple is basically gone. If I was working at the NSA and wanted to break into phones, I'd give a little visit to people who developed a jailbreak and make them an offer they cannot refuse. Unless the Chinese got their first. Think about that. Jailbreak is safe as far as you can trust some totally unknown people who may have been leaned on by some government agency, and possibly not from _your_ government.

The other way is to put an enterprise certificate on your phone, which is what you may have if your phone was supplied to you by your company. The company can then put apps on your phone that have not gone through the App Store review process.
 
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There are two ways to "side load" apps: One is to jailbreak your iPhone. Which means any security supplied by Apple is basically gone. If I was working at the NSA and wanted to break into phones, I'd give a little visit to people who developed a jailbreak and make them an offer they cannot refuse. Unless the Chinese got their first. Think about that. Jailbreak is safe as far as you can trust some totally unknown people who may have been leaned on by some government agency, and possibly not from _your_ government.

The other way is to put an enterprise certificate on your phone, which is what you may have if your phone was supplied to you by your company. The company can then put apps on your phone that have not gone through the App Store review process.

I think it is easy to tell what is the safest. Though it still not 100% safe.
 
Is it safe and secure as well?
No.

The quick and simple to understand explanation is this: If you have to ask if something is secure it isn't, simply because you are not able to evaluate what is and isn't safe to do; so you don't know when you are keeping within the narrow parameters of not doing something to risk the security.

If you have a particular situation (outside the "normal") that you want to ask about you instead should focus on asking us things like: "How can I do this safely?", and "what are the risks of me doing that?". But if you overgeneralise that first question the answer will always be "you can't".
 
People are too quick to use terms like 'illegal' without thinking through what is being asked.

It is not illegal if no law is being broken. Is there a law against side loading? I didn't think so.

It may be against a companies policies, or terms and conditions. That is a different matter.

No, I am not a lawyer.
 
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The vast majority of software on computers is “sideloaded.” Sideloading is basically just a type of software installation. It is not illegal.

I think what you’re really asking is whether jailbreaking is illegal. Jailbreaking has been recognized as an exception to the DMCA. It is legal.

Having said that, I do not believe it is safe or secure at all, and it is not something I would recommend.
 
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People are too quick to use terms like 'illegal' without thinking through what is being asked.

It is not illegal if no law is being broken. Is there a law against side loading? I didn't think so.

It may be against a companies policies, or terms and conditions. That is a different matter.

No, I am not a lawyer.
Copyright law very well could be in play here. When you “buy” an app, you are buying a license to use the app based on when you purchased it. If the app is removed from the App Store and is no longer supported, your license very well may have been revoked. So, sideloading it without permission from the developer may break copyright laws. Irrespective if they wanted to come after you or not.

Disclaimer: I am a lawyer, I’m not your lawyer or anyone’s lawyer on this forum. This is not legal advice, but legal information.
 
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