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Possible virus or malware?

I have an iphoneXR which had been working fine until I clicked on a download from an iMessage claiming to be from my wireless provider. It showed downloading but nothing happened after that. Ever since then my screen started flickering and some functionalities of the phone and some of the apps no longer work correctly and I have to constantly restart my phone. Could I have downloaded a virus or malware? All my passwords are stored on this phone and I’m afraid I may have been hacked.

iPhone XR, iOS 15

Posted on Mar 30, 2022 6:07 PM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Mar 31, 2022 7:02 AM

GKarina90 wrote:

Thanks for the response, how would I know if something I downloaded is “jailbreak” I had never heard that term until you mentioned.

If you didn't jailbreak your device (which is sounds like you didn't) and no one else has had access to your device while it was unlocked, your phone is not jailbroken.

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4 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Mar 31, 2022 7:02 AM in response to GKarina90

GKarina90 wrote:

Thanks for the response, how would I know if something I downloaded is “jailbreak” I had never heard that term until you mentioned.

If you didn't jailbreak your device (which is sounds like you didn't) and no one else has had access to your device while it was unlocked, your phone is not jailbroken.

Mar 31, 2022 5:52 AM in response to GKarina90

Hey there,


You won't need virus scanning apps because the iPhone doesn't get any viruses, as SravanKra told you unless you jailbreak your device!

~

to make sure that your device isn’t jailbreaks :

One way to confirm if your iPhone is jailbroken is to look for an app called either “Cydia” or “Sileo”. These apps are in fact third-party app stores that are usually installed during the jailbreak process. However, it is also important to note that on a jailbroken device, any app icon (e.g. Cydia/Sileo) can be made invisible to the user so it is not a fool-proof method of detection.

~

It is also important to check for any other unusual apps that have appeared on your home screen that you haven’t downloaded yourself. Many jailbreak tools include a launcher app which can be run to re-jailbreak the device if the jailbreak has been removed. An example of one of these apps is “checkra1n” which is often installed alongside one of the most popular jailbreaks. If you find an app that you’re not sure about, you should try Googling its name and it should tell you if it’s related to a jailbreak tool.


Mar 30, 2022 9:10 PM in response to GKarina90

Keep the iPhone updated to the latest iOS always and never Jailbreak. That's it.


iOS / iPadOS devices cannot be infected with Virus / Malware / Spyware if it is updated to the latest iOS/iPadOS unless you have intentionally downloaded spurious software or unauthorized apps directly from the internet and installed on your device or/and have Jail Broken. 


Mar 31, 2022 5:34 AM in response to SravanKrA

Thanks for the response, how would I know if something I downloaded is “jailbreak” I had never heard that term until you mentioned. The only things I download are apps from the App Store or links that are texted to me such as the one I clicked. They are from trusted contacts and the one I tried downloading was supposedly from my carrier about my monthly rewards which they do have. But I am glad to know that I do not need to worry about viruses, I already bought two apps for virus scan not knowing that there is no such thing.

Possible virus or malware?

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