Malware on iPad

Browsing a website with iPad. Clicked on Continue and immediately got message from apple about site being dangerous. I closed out and shut down ipad. Turned back on and went to another site. The site had its normal info but in the middle of the screen was a cartoon cat that proceeded to knock over a plant. I left the site and shut iPad off again. Can I have picked up some malware?

You do not need any software to check for Malware on an iPad and any you find that claim to offer protections are just scams and will not offer anymore protections that are already built into your device. The most important thing you can do is to never give out your Apple ID and Password as well as follow this support article to avoid phishing scams.

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

If you are experiencing a specific problem, please describe it here and you will most likely be provided with a solution.

LuvAPL-89 wrote:

Browsing a website with iPad. Clicked on Continue and immediately got message from apple about site being dangerous. I closed out and shut down ipad. Turned back on and went to another site. The site had its normal info but in the middle of the screen was a cartoon cat that proceeded to knock over a plant. I left the site and shut iPad off again. Can I have picked up some malware?

While the majority of threats to which you will be invariably exposed will surface via web pages or embedded links within email or other messaging platforms - providing that your iPad has been kept up-to-date with system software updates - you should not be overly concerned for your iPad being directly compromised by malware.

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 exposure to risk (examples documented above).

Be wary of an often repeated myth that Apple devices are immune to malware - or that they don't benefit from additional protection beyond that provided by the OS. Those that perpetuate this fallacy, perhaps with good intention, do not necessarily comprehend the broader threat landscape. Apple expend considerable resources in developing and issuing regular software security updates and patches for its products; if the myth had any substance, regular security updates would be unnecessary.

Not sure why you link having a problem with one website as being related to malware. You may get a better response by creating a new question for the issues you are having instead of the question being buried in another thread.

• Have you tried clearing web site data?
• Have you tried using a different browser?
• Does the site have a browser compatibility requirements?
• Is it related to Javascript that may be shut off?
• Have you contacted the web site support?
• Do other users experience the same behavior?

Here is some more information from Apple that nay help:

If Safari isn't loading websites or quits on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support

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 by malware.

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 exposure to risk.

Be wary of an often repeated myth that Apple devices are immune to malware; those that perpetuate this fallacy, perhaps with good intention, do not comprehend the broader threat landscape. Apple expend considerable resources in developing and issuing regular software security updates and patches for its products; if the myth had any substance, regular security updates would be unnecessary.

Threat Mitigation

There are no true Antivirus Products available for iOS/iPadOS. Those that claim to provide AV protection are little more than “snake oil” - and should generally be avoided.

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

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

1Blocker is highly configurable - and unlike many third-party security products for iOS/iPadOS, crucially does not rely upon an external proxy-service of dubious provenance. Instead, all processing by 1Blocker takes place on your device - 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 1Blocker creates a ruleset that is processed by Safari; undesirable embedded content is simply blocked from download. The 1Blocker product 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 to improve protection from exploits 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 suggest 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

2620:119:35::35

2620:119:53::53

Cloudflare

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 reputable Content Blocker, provides defence 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. If you have subscribed to iCloud+, and have a device capable of running iOS/iPadOS 15.x or later, this feature is included. 

My iPad is very slow but not all the time. I thought I was having problems with my internet and Wi-Fi. They have checked everything and said it’s fine. They also checked the devices connected to the Wi-Fi and found that my iPad is using lots of data whenever it’s connected. It’s also slow when I’m just using cellular data but again not all the time. So I’m wondering if I have a virus on it?

After reading other posts, it’s been suggested that iPad can’t harbor malware. Mine has one particular website that seems to be corrupted somehow. I can’t open anything on the site, plus pictures/videos are blurred to the point of being unrecognizable. I’ve reset the iPad a couple times. Must I completely clear it?

I inadvertently accessed a phishing site on Facebook that perfectly replicated the names and logo of Midasbuy. Subsequently, my account was on the brink of being compromised. Fortunately, I narrowly avoided the threat due to a notification from an unfamiliar location. Taking immediate action, I cleared my browser cache and changed my password. Wanting to raise awareness, I intentionally revisited the link in a private browser. To my concern, I observed a malware symbol persisting on the site, as well as on other pages when attempting to browse. Clearing the cache resolved the issue initially, but on a subsequent attempt with a different link, the symbol reappeared. Despite clearing the cache again and updating iOS, the symbol persisted in all private browser pages. It's noteworthy that I never had any extensions installed in Safari during this ordeal. 🤔

None. The protections built into iPadOS prevent malware from affecting it and stops a scanner from checking anything other than its own documents.

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I gave a my postal number to a sketchy website what can I do?

Don't worry about it - there is not much someone can

do with only your postal number other than send you

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