Apple maintains a high level of device security by restricting all devices to only allow apps downloaded from its official App Store. The term ‘jailbreaking’ can apply to any kind of mobile device but generally refers to Apple devices. What is the difference between jailbreaking, rooting and sideloading? In the case of Apple devices, this often (though not always) requires the device to be jailbroken. Apps from other sources may not be screened for security and might have malicious intent, but often users will install them on their device, opening themselves up to threats. Sideloading allows access to apps that are unavailable in official app stores for a number of reasons. Although there have been instances of malicious apps found in both the App and Play stores (more often the Google Play Store), official app stores act as an additional filter, blocking the vast majority of malicious apps from reaching the end-user.

All applications on the App Store or Google Play Store have been vetted by the respective organizations. Sideloading, in the context of mobile security, is the process of adding an application that has not been approved by the developer of the device’s operating system.

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