Has my iPhone been hacked? How to check

IT’S hard to believe that your iPhone could have been hacked but is still operating – mostly – as normal.

But there are few signs that your Apple device has been compromised.

1

Can I tell if my iPhone has been hacked?

1. Your battery isn’t lasting as long as it used to – there’s a chance malware may be running in the background, which is using extra power.
2. High data usage – if you’ve been hitting your data limit quicker than usual, then it’s possible hidden software or malicious apps running on your iPhone could be connecting to the internet and passing your information onto third parties.
3. You receive an email or notification that your Apple ID was used to sign in to a device you don’t recognise or did not sign in to recently – for example, “Your Apple ID was used to sign in to iCloud on a Windows PC.”
4. Your password no longer works or you receive a confirmation email from Apple that your Apple ID password was changed, but you don’t remember making any changes.
5. You see charges for purchases that you didn’t make.
6. You notice messages you didn’t send, or items you didn’t delete – Unauthorised activity of any kind is a major red flag.

Can an iPhone be hacked by visiting a website?

Yes, but Apple’s iOS software includes a number of features to help prevent this from happening.

iPhone users can accidentally download malicious software when using public WiFi. 

If the device hasn’t been jailbroken, you didn’t enter any personal information, and you did not download any profiles or apps from questionable sources – then your data should be secure.

What to do if my iPhone is hacked

If you think your iPhone has been hacked, here’s what to do next:

1. Download an antivirus software on your iPhone – yes, they do exist for iOS devices. Avast Security & Privacy, Avira Mobile Security and Lookout Mobile Security are some of the most popular.
2. Delete any suspicious looking apps.
3. If all else fails, then you will have to try a full factory reset on the device – which will delete everything from your phone.

iPhone owners may be tempted to try and save some of their data by downloaded it onto their laptops or PCs, but connecting an infected device with a ‘clean’ one is risky.

The best practice is to just let all the data go.

If you choose to restore, make sure the restore option is from the time before you think the malicious software was introduced.

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This post first appeared on Thesun.co.uk