Will advanced data protection protect me from having my iPhone hacked?

CuriousinPA wrote:

Will advanced data protection prevent my phone from being hacked

Security is ~never an absolute.

This discussion always depends greatly on each person’s own particular opponents, and capabilities.

For most of us, use of ADP will reduce access by others to what is stored in iCloud.

As for some fewer people of high interest or of high value, use of ADP and Lockdown will reduce exposure, but not eliminate it. And our exposure also depends on ourselves; on how we handle and manage our own passwords, on phishing, and related.

Start here:

… Apple Platform Security - Apple Support

… Personal Safety User Guide - Apple Support

If you want to know more about more advanced security shenanigans, visit the CitizenLab website.

You do not need to worry about your iPhone being hacked. There are no known viruses that can hack an iPhone and Advanced Data Protection will not help in this case anyway as it is only for data that is stored elsewhere.

Apple stores encryption keys for some data in iCloud so users can recover their data if they forget their Apple ID password. When Advanced Data Protection is turned on, those keys are deleted from their servers and only stored on your device. By default, you will no longer be able to view your iCloud data on the web. If the device is lost and you forgot you Apple ID password, then there is no way to gain access to this information. Apple already provides End to End encryption of data that is sent to iCloud, so a middleman will not be able to sniff out the data as it is being sent and it is encrypted on their servers.

There is also the more aggressive option of LockDown Mode, but unless you are a government employee or high profile news reporter that may be a target of a foreign government, than this is not necessary either.

Always remember: The greatest weakness in Apple’s security architecture is the HUMAN using the device.

The best security is obviated by “compromise” of your credentials (Device Passcodes & Passwords; AppleID & Password).

Protect them zealously.

Use the built-in privacy and security protections of iPhone – Apple Support (AU)

Recognize and avoid phishing messages, phony support calls, and other scams - Apple Support