iPad compromised

Have you seen anything unusual or unexpected when you clicked a link? Any pop-up messages that suggest that your iPad has been compromised - or infected with malware that requires you to seek help or pay money? These are all scams designed to deceive the unwary into doing something that you shouldn’t.

Providing your iPad has been kept up-to-date with system software updates, you should not be overly concerned for your iPad being directly compromised. Provided you have not given away and personal or financially sensitive information, your saved data is unlikely to have been accessed. If you have inadvertently exposed any account credentials or credit card information, change passwords immediately - and inform the relevant card issuers or financial organisations.

Due to the system architecture of iOS/iPadOS, unless jailbroken, your iPad is not susceptible to traditional malware infection per-se. However, as with all computer systems, there are still vulnerabilities and exploits to which you remain vulnerable. For older devices, no longer benefiting from regular security updates, the risk of an unpatched vulnerability being exploited increases. Regardless of the installed version of iPadOS, there are useful mitigations that can be used to significantly reduce your expose to risk.

The majority of threats to which you will be invariably exposed will surface via web pages or embedded links within email. These browser-based attacks can be largely and successfully mitigated by installing a good Content and Ad-blocking product. One of the very best and most respected within the Apple App Store - designed for iPad, iPhone and Mac - is 1Blocker for Safari.

https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/1blocker-for-safari/id1365531024

1Blocker is highly configurable - and crucially does not rely upon an external proxy-service of dubious provenance, often utilised by so-called AntiVirus products intended for iOS/iPadOS. Instead, all processing takes place on your device by your browser; 1Blocker simply compiles a complex set of processing rules - and contrary to expectations, Safari will run faster and more efficiently.

Unwanted content is not simply filtered after download (a technique used by basic/inferior products), but instead undesirable embedded content blocked form download. A further benefit on metered services, such as cellular connections where you data may be capped or chargeable, this not only improves performance but can also save you money. 1Blocker has also recently introduced its new “Firewall” functions - that are explicitly designed to block “trackers”. Being implemented at the network-layer, this additional protection works across all Apps. Recent updates to 1Blocker has introduced additional network extensions, extending protection to other Apps.

A further measure to improve protection is to use a security focussed DNS Service in preference to automatic DNS settings. This can either be set on a per-device basis in Settings, or can be set-up on your home Router - and in so doing extends the benefit of this specific protection to other devices on your local network. I recommend using one of the following DNS services - for which IPv4 and IPv6 server addresses are listed:

Quad9 (recommended)

9.9.9.9

149.112.112.112

2620:fe::fe

2620:fe::9

OpenDNS

208.67.222.222

208.67.220.220

2620:0:ccc::2

2620:0:ccd::2

Cloudflare+APNIC

1.1.1.1

1.0.0.1

2606:4700:4700::1111

2606:4700:4700::1001

Use of the above DNS services will help to shield you from “known bad” websites and URLs - and when used alongside 1Blocker, or other Content Blocker provides defense in depth.

There are advanced techniques to further “harden” iOS/iPadOS (such as using DoH, DoT and DNSSEC). Apple has recently introduced its new Private Relay to its iCloud+ subscribers - in part employing ODoH (a variant of DoH) as an element of this new functionality.

I hope this information and insight proves to be helpful. 

There is no known method of remotely hacking an iPad.

The Link was most likely a phishing attempt wanting to get your information such as login and password or other data. As long as you did not provide anything to any website the link may have opened you should be fine.

If no website opened, then nothing happened, an your iPad should be fine and safe.

You are very welcome.

While iOS/iPadOS is very well protected, as with all computer systems, there are still threats and vulnerabilities to which your devices will be exposed - and it is for this reason that the system software receives regular security updates.

Using good computing practices - and employing available mitigations - can significantly reduce risk. Many effective mitigations can be be employed for no cost (e.g. secure DNS) or low cost (e.g. 1Blocker).