suzanne3382

Q: Can the iPhone5 be hacked remotely by a hacker?

I work for a technology company and one of our employees shared an incident about her iPhone5 being hacked remotely. The hacker gained access to her device overnight while her phone was unlocked. The hacker watched her baby monitor video feed from the baby monitoring app  (including taking pictures and video from the device), posted about the baby to her FB account, browsed on Safari, including some searches of French books on amazon and Scott Trading sites. When I spoke with the mobile device team, they were not familiar with any iOS security gaps that would allow a hacker to remotely gain control of an iPhone, however, the activities on her device suggest that this is possible.

 

I found some articles from 2009 regarding a SMS virus that allowed hackers to gain remote access to a device, however, our mobile device team is certain that this gap would be closed by now.

 

Is anyone familiar with an existing security gap on the iPhone5? What would you recommend would be the next action for her? She is intending to delete her icloud account, change all her passwords and wipe her device.

iPhone 5, iOS 6.1.1

Posted on Mar 19, 2013 1:23 PM

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Q: Can the iPhone5 be hacked remotely by a hacker?

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  • by Meg St._Clair,

    Meg St._Clair Meg St._Clair Apr 3, 2016 1:45 PM in response to rocket1410
    Level 9 (58,841 points)
    iPhone
    Apr 3, 2016 1:45 PM in response to rocket1410

    rocket1410 wrote:

     

    Does apps like FB and Linkedin that allows people to look at other profiles potentially can embed hacking software?

    I plan to delete these apps..as a precaution..

    Not impossible but highly unlikely. You're moving into tinfoil hat territory.

  • by me2on6,

    me2on6 me2on6 Apr 10, 2016 7:17 PM in response to me2on6
    Level 1 (8 points)
    iPhone
    Apr 10, 2016 7:17 PM in response to me2on6

    HERE'S AN IMPORTANT UPDATE I wanted to share with everyone:


    I was right about it being SOFTWARE. The problem stopped (for the past 5 days, nothing, and it used to be constant) AS SOON AS I deleted ONE APP (I won't name which one right now) for keyboard. The app was something like phrases keyboard, where you touch the emoji icon on the keyboard and touch it again and it shows you a bunch of phrases or words or strings you pre-entered (lots of apps like that). But, you should know one other thing. For weeks, I was doing careful studies, "controlling variables" (changing only one setting at  a time--I literally kept a long excel spreadsheet that was highly organized), eg wifi off, then cell off, then going thru everything in all **** combinations. There were probably 100 things I tried, everything from airplane mode to changing every wifi and network wifi pzw and router passwrds etc. So, there was ONE other thing I had forgotten to do, which I did THE SAME DAY as finding that (above) APP, and that thing I did was to change my iCloud & also iTunes passwords. But, honestly, I think it was the app cuz it was a little more proximate to that change, when all this phantom behaviors stopped. NOW, ALL THAT SAID, even though the phantom behaviors (that everyone in this forum has described) were occcuring to me DAILY and for usualy hours, it's only been maybe five days since the problem stopped suddenly. That doesn't mean it won't start up again, and so I'm just reporting back some POSSIBLY helpful info for Apple and everyone else...in case it helps... Obviously, I'll repost if it starts up again. Hope this helps.


     

  • by Meg St._Clair,

    Meg St._Clair Meg St._Clair Apr 10, 2016 7:29 PM in response to me2on6
    Level 9 (58,841 points)
    iPhone
    Apr 10, 2016 7:29 PM in response to me2on6

    me2on6 wrote:

    I was right about it being SOFTWARE. The problem stopped (for the past 5 days, nothing, and it used to be constant) AS SOON AS I deleted ONE APP (I won't name which one right now) for keyboard. ``````

    So you had some misbehaving software which you deleted and the problem went away. That doesn't mean anyone hacked anything.

  • by me2on6,

    me2on6 me2on6 Apr 11, 2016 12:30 PM in response to manwithabicpen
    Level 1 (8 points)
    iPhone
    Apr 11, 2016 12:30 PM in response to manwithabicpen

    I was reading about these different things and actually tripped across this page:  http://www.zyxaw.com/2012/01/silent-sms-beware-your-cell-is-being.html

    I'm not sure if it could cause the type of thing you're talking about. This is not really my thing. But I wonder if this silent sms might have had to do with your phone having been circumvented on at least a few occasions. I have no clue. But, at least your post can't be dismissed. Hopefully Apple's on top of all this stuff. It's probably simple stuff to their people. Have a good day.

  • by me2on6,

    me2on6 me2on6 Apr 21, 2016 11:41 AM in response to Meg St._Clair
    Level 1 (8 points)
    iPhone
    Apr 21, 2016 11:41 AM in response to Meg St._Clair

    Seems you write the same dismissive response to everyone's post on this forum? 

  • by Meg St._Clair,

    Meg St._Clair Meg St._Clair Apr 21, 2016 11:59 AM in response to me2on6
    Level 9 (58,841 points)
    iPhone
    Apr 21, 2016 11:59 AM in response to me2on6

    me2on6 wrote:

     

    Seems you write the same dismissive response to everyone's post on this forum?

    Only when the posts contain Chicken Little-type nonsense.

     

    Quoting four year old blog posts about features of the GSM network doesn't prove hacking.

  • by Lawrence Finch,

    Lawrence Finch Lawrence Finch Apr 21, 2016 12:08 PM in response to me2on6
    Level 8 (37,947 points)
    Mac OS X
    Apr 21, 2016 12:08 PM in response to me2on6

    The blog post is nonsense. However, if you have ANY cell phone you are constantly being tracked. Your carrier knows where you are at all times, and will happily provide that information to any law enforcement agency that asks. There's no need to send a "silent SMS." This isn't unique to iPhones; it is true for any mobile device (OnStar, mobile phone, tablet...). It's also true for any car; there a license plate scanners everywhere, so any agency looking for your car will find it. You can make it even easier for them by having any toll agency tag (FastPass, E-ZPass, etc).

  • by me2on6,

    me2on6 me2on6 Apr 21, 2016 12:11 PM in response to me2on6
    Level 1 (8 points)
    iPhone
    Apr 21, 2016 12:11 PM in response to me2on6

    HERE'S AN 2ND IMPORTANT UPDATE WITH ADDITIONAL KEY INFO. I promised to post back, if this phantom swiping/tapping/browsing etc recurred; and it has. It stopped for about a week, but then started up again about a week ago.


    There's another REALLY IMPORTANT item that I've discovered that relates to this phantom behaviors: They ONLY occur WHEN MY iPHONE IS WITHIN a certain proximity (about 2 FEET) of MY DESKTOP computer. I think that BLUETOOTH devices/drivers from the computer may be responsible and gaining access to the IOS. I wasn't sure to write this initially, so I didn't include it, but I've done about a hundred tests so far just on proximity (next to my computer vs 1 foot away vs 2 ft away and beyond), and I notice that the behaviors ALWAYS stop at (approximately) 2 feet away. More recently, I'm starting to test disabling vs uninstalling the bluetooth drivers on the desktop (since I don't use bluetooth on my computer or iphone). The trick with uninstalling is I think Windows updates keep re-adding the bluetooth driver every time I uninstall it. So lately I'm experimenting with just "disabling" it under Bluetooth Settings.


    So, it would be really interesting to see if OTHERS out there on this forum, who are experiencing all these same phantom behaviors, TRY THIS OUT, and let me know if it makes a difference.


    P.S. Meg, no need to respond to my posts, thanks.

  • by DavidOpdyke,

    DavidOpdyke DavidOpdyke Apr 21, 2016 12:16 PM in response to me2on6
    Level 1 (149 points)
    Apr 21, 2016 12:16 PM in response to me2on6

    This thread is all over the place.  Last post, you were SURE it was software, now you are SURE it is hardware, even though bluetooth has a range FAR greater than 2 feet.  It's funny to read, but it's time to find a way to not get updates on this thread.  You should get a different phone, it's clear that your paranoia will never end with this phone.  #TeamMeg

  • by Meg St._Clair,

    Meg St._Clair Meg St._Clair Apr 21, 2016 12:40 PM in response to me2on6
    Level 9 (58,841 points)
    iPhone
    Apr 21, 2016 12:40 PM in response to me2on6

    me2on6 wrote:

     

    There's another REALLY IMPORTANT item that I've discovered that relates to this phantom behaviors: They ONLY occur WHEN MY iPHONE IS WITHIN a certain proximity (about 2 FEET) of MY DESKTOP computer. I think that BLUETOOTH devices/drivers from the computer may be responsible and gaining access to the IOS. I wasn't sure to write this initially, so I didn't include it, but I've done about a hundred tests so far just on proximity (next to my computer vs 1 foot away vs 2 ft away and beyond), and I notice that the behaviors ALWAYS stop at (approximately) 2 feet away. More recently, I'm starting to test disabling vs uninstalling the bluetooth drivers on the desktop (since I don't use bluetooth on my computer or iphone). The trick with uninstalling is I think Windows updates keep re-adding the bluetooth driver every time I uninstall it. So lately I'm experimenting with just "disabling" it under Bluetooth Settings.

     

    Once again, this has nothing to do with hacking. It's long past time for you to take your phone to Apple and have them look at it.

  • by Meg St._Clair,

    Meg St._Clair Meg St._Clair Apr 21, 2016 12:41 PM in response to DavidOpdyke
    Level 9 (58,841 points)
    iPhone
    Apr 21, 2016 12:41 PM in response to DavidOpdyke

    DavidOpdyke wrote:

     

    This thread is all over the place.  Last post, you were SURE it was software, now you are SURE it is hardware, even though bluetooth has a range FAR greater than 2 feet.  It's funny to read, but it's time to find a way to not get updates on this thread.  You should get a different phone, it's clear that your paranoia will never end with this phone.  #TeamMeg

    Never had my own hashtag before!

  • by racerhomie,

    racerhomie racerhomie Apr 22, 2016 8:57 AM in response to drowl
    Level 1 (71 points)
    Wireless
    Apr 22, 2016 8:57 AM in response to drowl

    please send screenshots as evidence

  • by Meg St._Clair,

    Meg St._Clair Meg St._Clair Apr 22, 2016 9:02 AM in response to racerhomie
    Level 9 (58,841 points)
    iPhone
    Apr 22, 2016 9:02 AM in response to racerhomie

    racerhomie wrote:

     

    please send screenshots as evidence

    You realize, don't you, that you're responding to a post that's a year and a half old?

  • by me2on6,

    me2on6 me2on6 Apr 22, 2016 10:33 PM in response to Meg St._Clair
    Level 1 (8 points)
    iPhone
    Apr 22, 2016 10:33 PM in response to Meg St._Clair

    If you read any (preferably all) of my posts, it's abundantly obvious that the phone is hacked.  Because of your previous answers, and again here, I'll ask you again, Meg, please don't respond to my posts. Your answers are not appreciated. I'd rather hear from others and hear their experiences. Also, when you write others (above), "You realize, don't you, that you're responding to a post that's a year and a half old?", that's pretty rude. People are writing in because they have relevant issues, not because they want to be abused. In my case, it's not an iPhone 5, it's the SAME behaviors everyone's describing, but on an iPhone 6... so that's current no matter how old the thread is. I'm sure all the posters want to see all the information others have to share, even (especially) a year later. If you're constantly responding to a thread and very active here daily, these are obviously important, relevant issues. Don't dismiss the thread. Also, while you removed my answer to your question (the one about Bluetooth "versus" software), it's important to share with others my response which included, "I'm just adding bluetooth to the list of possible culprits, including software, firmware. I believe bluetooth communications require software last time I checked?" I also included in the post you deleted, "you shouldn't be telling people to just "get a different phone", since that  may also be counterproductive. I didn't create this thread lol. I'm just 1 of 100s of people, all with the same problem, looking for solutions.  Remember, from my posts, if you read them carefully, you'll see that I've experienced this BEFORE & AFTER Apple sent a brand new phone out. Also, calling customers "paranoid" because they're reporting issues here isn't constructive, It's best not to dismiss these issues and users. Last time I checked... #CustomersMatter

  • by Csound1,

    Csound1 Csound1 Apr 23, 2016 5:52 AM in response to me2on6
    Level 9 (50,397 points)
    Desktops
    Apr 23, 2016 5:52 AM in response to me2on6

    Don't tell others what to do

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