Have you been hacked before? It’s not fun. iPhone hacking is on the rise, and many users find themselves in a position where they have no idea how to proceed. But there are specific steps you can take if your phone is ever compromised.
Hackers and scammers love to target iPhone users. This is because iPhones are the most popular smartphone globally, and millions of people use them every day.
Compared to smartphones, they have a more considerable profit margin, which makes them worth hacking into. Most of iPhone users think that their phones will never be hacked. Some even believed that Apple has developed a unique system that makes things hard for hackers to access apple users’ information. But to be on the safe side, you should take some smart steps. All you need for data security against hacking will make your phone much more secure. Never rely on the built-in security protocol no matter which device you use. It’s always better to install some premium security software that will keep your data protected.
However, this popularity has a downside – hackers tend to look for flaws in these devices because of their vast user base. Before we get any deeper, let’s first shortly talk about
How To Remove A Hacker From My iPhone
If a hacker has been able to hack into the phone, they will have complete control over all of its functions. The only way to remove a hacker from an iPhone is by restoring it to factory settings.
After erasing all the data, the next step is to change your password and enabling two-factor authentication on your device. This way, you ensure you don’t become a victim again.
Action To Take When Your iPhone Is Hacked
With all the recent news of iPhone security issues, you may be wondering if your device is vulnerable to an attack. Would you know what steps to take when your iPhone is hacked?
Here are some steps you can take right now to check if your iPhone has been hacked and how to prevent it from happening again in the future.
1. Contact Apple Support immediately
You don’t want your private data to fall into the wrong hands. The sooner you report the security breach, the less likely it that any significant damage could be done.
2. Cancel your cards
When your device has been hacked, the only thing you can do is cancel your card before someone charges thousands of dollars on it. It may take several days for the bank to investigate the fraud and restore your account.
The key is that you are not liable for fraudulent charges on your credit or debit card if you report them within 48 hours.
3. Back-up All Your Data on iCloud or iTunes
Above anything else, make sure that all your data are backed up on iCloud or iTunes.
Next, go to Settings>General>Reset>Erase All Content and Settings. Your iPhone will reboot with an empty springboard (home screen). Don’t worry about losing any data because it has already been backed up by iTunes earlier.
4. Change Your Apple ID Password Immediately!
Log into your iCloud account and change your password immediately after an attack. This will stop most of the malicious activity from happening on your account.
5. Change Your other account Passwords
Change all your passwords on all accounts logged into via iCloud or Safari browser before the hack happened (e.g., Google, Facebook). These accounts might be vulnerable even if they weren’t logged into via iCloud or Safari browser at the time of the hack.
The Tell-Tale Signs That Your iPhone Is Hacked
One of the most significant issues that iPhone users face is whether or not their device has been hacked.
The reason for this is because there are many ways in which an iPhone can be compromised without you even knowing about it.
There are many tell-tale signs to look out for to ensure that your phone hasn’t been compromised. However, if you have any doubts about the security of your device, it would be wise to contact Apple or a professional right away.
Your iPhone keeps freezing
If you’re a frequent user of your iPhone, it can be frustrating when it keeps freezing up. However, if the freezes occur in the middle of the day and only ever so often, they could be due to a virus or bugs in iOS 11.
The battery charge hiccup
The battery drain is one of the most obvious signs that something suspicious is happening on your phone.
Suppose you notice that it starts draining battery life faster than usual. And this is a sign that malware has been installed on the phone.
Your iPhone slows down.
The first thing you’ll notice is that your phone slows down. It might also be sluggish or unresponsive to touch.
When the home button is clicked, it could take 3-4 seconds for the screen to come on instead of 1-2 seconds like normal.
If you see that your home button isn’t working correctly, then chances are it’s been hacked with a jailbreak tool or malware.
You’re getting hundreds of unwanted text messages every day
You could be going on with your day when suddenly the phone starts to vibrate incessantly. You glance down and see that you have a dozen or so texts from numbers you don’t know. Then, one of them asks for you to click on a link.
It also happens that you receive an incomprehensible message from your girlfriend with invitations to a meeting. You immediately start thinking, is my girlfriend cheating? It turns out that it doesn’t. These are hackers trying to get any information about you.
Random crashes or reboots
This behavior could be a sign that a hacker has installed malware on your device to take it over remotely.
It’s important to note that this crash may not always happen every time you use the phone, especially if they want to remain hidden for a long time.
Other common signs to look out for may include:
Your iPhone takes photos without you asking it to.
You have a new app that you’ve never installed before
You have an app that keeps sending notifications over and over again
Why Would Someone Hack My iPhone?
Recent research found that over half of iPhone owners do not have a PIN code, password, or fingerprint protection to protect their devices from unauthorized access.
An estimated 50% of smartphone users don’t use any security on their device, and this opens up your data to hackers who can steal information from both the device and apps installed on it.
Hacking into an iPhone is a lucrative business. Several hackers make their living off of hacking phones for others. But why would someone want to hack someone else’s phone?
Here are a few reasons you might wonder about:
- To steal information.
The most common reason is to steal information for financial gain. Identity theft is often carried out by hacking devices like mobile phones.
Hackers steal credit card data and personal information from the device, then use it themselves or sell it on the black market.
This happens more than you might think—about 4 million Americans have had their identity stolen online every year, with smartphones the biggest target of hackers.
- To access personal accounts and social media pages.
- To remotely control the device as if it were their own
- Curiosity. If they can access your iPhone, they might look at personal data such as texts sent to friends or conversations and your contacts.
- They could also install applications that track your location or hold sensitive information from other apps on the device.
- To track all your activities on the device, including calls, messages, apps used, etc.
How To Prevent Someone From Hacking Your iPhone
If you are an iPhone user, you should be aware of the risk of getting your iPhone hacked. Your smartphone is a goldmine for hackers. It has sensitive data, such as emails, messages, pictures, and more.
Hackers can easily track down your location, listen to your conversations, and capture photos with the camera.
If that happens to you, don’t panic. You have some options on what actions you can take to reduce or eliminate the damage caused by hackers.
1. Reset Your Password
First things first – reset your password on iCloud by following these simple steps: Go to https://www.icloud.com.
Input your unique Apple ID and password when prompted and go to reset the password. Always come up with a strong password for all of your devices.
Create unique passwords for each of them so the thief can’t access multiple accounts at once. Ensure to use a mix of letters and numbers and avoid using personal information such as names, date of births as your password.
2. Enable two-factor authentication on your device
This measure introduces an extra layer of protection by requiring a password and another piece of information that only you would know, like a question that only you would be able to answer or a code that would appear.
3. Don’t jailbreak your iPhone or use custom firmware.
Jailbreaking opens up the possibility of installing malicious applications on your phone, collecting information about you, and even spreading viruses to others. The most brilliant way to protect yourself from this threat is not to jailbreak in the first place.
4. Change browser settings
If you’re using a Mac or PC, go into your browser settings and ensure that “Do Not Track” is not turned on.
If this setting is activated, websites will track where you go online even when you’re not visiting their sites. This leaves your computer vulnerable to hackers.
Conclusion
Now that you have the information to remove a hacker from your iPhone, you can get started. If you suspect that someone has hacked into your device, there are steps you can take to remove all traces of the hacker and keep them out for good.
Be sure to follow all of the steps provided and avoid making any mistakes. We hope this guide has been helpful!
