Weird things have just been happening and i’m worried if ive been hacked in some way shape or form and if info is getting stolen off of my iphone. how would i tell?
[Re-Titled by Moderator]
Original Title: How do I know if I'm hacked?
iPhone 16 Pro, iOS 18
ProppedDaisy2728 wrote:
google home app, spotify, life 360. i’ve checked this before and since removed access. The google home in question has not been plugged in, in years. why would it say pixel 8 pro tho. also, back in march after i noticed it, siri came on a few times unexpectedly without me saying siri. after that i turned it off.
You have to delete the Google Home App or at least remove the permission. That should have been done long ago as directed in your previous post over month ago. You have not used it for years, yet it remains on your phone for some reason.
Why did my IPhone’s bluetooth auto connec… - Apple Community
The Pixel phone was added by one of the apps you see there and the Google Home App is the most likely one causing the problem. To completely eliminate any possibility of it showing up again, remove access to all the apps you see there. You can then turn on Bluetooth permission for each app one at a time and if the Pixel phone shows up again, then you have identified the app. Removal of the phone is done in the app that allowed access, and you will not have the option to remove the device at Settings > Bluetooth, because you have already allowed access from the app.
Your phone is not being hacked. For Siri, shutting it off will work or you could change the activation word to "Hey Siri" instead of just "Siri". When just using the "Siri" activation word, it certainly may recognize a similar word such as "Serious" , with the emphasis on "SERIous", or even some words like "Shirley". That really is not unusual and the same is true for the Alexa personal assistant, which is particularly troublesome when you have a family member named "Alexis".
ProppedDaisy2728 wrote:
google home app, spotify, life 360. i’ve checked this before and since removed access. The google home in question has not been plugged in, in years. why would it say pixel 8 pro tho. also, back in march after i noticed it, siri came on a few times unexpectedly without me saying siri. after that i turned it off.
You have to delete the Google Home App or at least remove the permission. That should have been done long ago as directed in your previous post over month ago. You have not used it for years, yet it remains on your phone for some reason.
Why did my IPhone’s bluetooth auto connec… - Apple Community
The Pixel phone was added by one of the apps you see there and the Google Home App is the most likely one causing the problem. To completely eliminate any possibility of it showing up again, remove access to all the apps you see there. You can then turn on Bluetooth permission for each app one at a time and if the Pixel phone shows up again, then you have identified the app. Removal of the phone is done in the app that allowed access, and you will not have the option to remove the device at Settings > Bluetooth, because you have already allowed access from the app.
Your phone is not being hacked. For Siri, shutting it off will work or you could change the activation word to "Hey Siri" instead of just "Siri". When just using the "Siri" activation word, it certainly may recognize a similar word such as "Serious" , with the emphasis on "SERIous", or even some words like "Shirley". That really is not unusual and the same is true for the Alexa personal assistant, which is particularly troublesome when you have a family member named "Alexis".
ProppedDaisy2728 wrote:
Back in march, i noticed a device called “pixel 8 pro” listed as connected under “my devices” in bluetooth settings. no, it was not a nearby device. it was connected. The “i” symbol wasn’t next to the device either , i think someone hacked me via bluetooth
You were not hacked via Bluetooth. In these cases this Bluetooth accessory has been paired via an app of yours which only communicates with that one app. They must be explicitly setup and within a few feet to operate. These are usually Smart watches and health monitoring devices. So figure out which app that is, you can go to Settings > Privacy and Security > Bluetooth > Disable access to apps and see if it goes away.
ProppedDaisy2728 wrote:
i don’t remember saying anything keeps coming back but if i did i wasn’t referring to the bluetooth device. right after the incident in march, but yeah i no longer see it im just worried that somehow info was stolen or something. that’s all. the advisor said the pixel issue could be a hack. not an account comprised, but yes he said it could be someone gaining access to my info remotely😭
OK, I was referring to this statement: but it randomly shows up after all this time?, so maybe this was me being confused. I have no idea what the Advisor was referring to, gaining access to your info remotely is certainly possible with an account being compromised, but remote access to your phone is not happening. Instead of trying to identify what a "hack" is, let's just concentrate on what you are seeing like we were able to do with your previous questions that I think were resolved and should have eased your concerns with what you were seeing.
None of those previous questions indicated that your device was "hacked", so not really sure why that is still the main theme for all discussions. Stick to the problems you see and we will do our best resolve those as well. If you can provide screenshots for something you do not understand, that is always helpful too as long as it does not include any personal information.
Do you have any other devices listed at Settings > [name on top], and scroll to the bottom to view the devices signed in. That is the first step to determine if anyone is accessing your information.
You can also run Safety Check to:
Safety Check for an iPhone with iOS 16 or later - Apple Support
If you did not jailbreak your phone, the device is not hacked.
That does not mean that one or more of your online accounts have not been compromised.
Make sure you use strong passwords and 2 factor authentication for your accounts whenever possible. Do not use the same password across multiple accounts or services. Doing so makes it much more likely that if one account is compromised, others will be as well.
If you think your Apple account may have been compromised, see this article: If you think your Apple Account has been compromised - Apple Support
Well, no one can hack your network unless they know your Apple ID and Password....and....they are also on your network.
Tap Settings > Tap [Your Name] at the top of the window
Scroll down to see the devices that are using your Apple ID
Do you see a device that you do not recognize? If not, you are not hacked.
Want more proof? You can spend hours to go through Apple's Safety Check to prove again that you are not hacked.
Safety Check for an iPhone with iOS 16 or later - Apple Support
ProppedDaisy2728 wrote:
but it randomly shows up after all this time?
Because, you still have not turned off permission for the Google Home app to access Bluetooth or deleted the app. If you delete the Google Home app, it will not return in at Settings > Privacy and Security > Bluetooth.
The problem with the Pixel phone showing up is due to one of the apps listed there. Remove the Bluetooth permissions for those apps or delete the apps you no longer use. That is why the device is listed at Settings > Bluetooth without the blue info button to remove it.
Also as requested earlier, what devices do you have showing that are signed into your account at Settings > [name on top], and scroll to the bottom to see the device list.
ProppedDaisy2728 wrote:
Weird things have just been happening and i’m worried if ive been hacked in some way shape or form and if info is getting stolen off of my iphone. how would i tell?
You have ongoing concerns with your gear. Concerns that won’t be addressed here.
The only way to be absolutely sure your equipment is not hacked is to remove it all from your proximity, and to only use gear that you can either personally verify it’s integrity, or use only gear that does not contain any information you consider sensitive, and even that can be tricky.
But seeking assurances that you’re not hacked is utterly futile. There will always be some less likely and more complex or more costly threat or exploit possible. Always. There is simply no good way to prove a negative.
You will always have something you don’t understand too, whether it is a glitch, or is expected and intended behavior, or maybe even an indication of an exploit. We all have gaps in our knowledge and experience and familiarity, too. Always. Knowing everything hasn’t been possible since the renaissance, if not earlier.
Hacked, or not? There is no certainty. Nor can there ever be.
What can you do? Consider what your particular threats might be. Look at what your personal risks might be. Use unique passwords. Use two-factor authentication. use a password manager. Use biometrics and a robust passcode. Partition your most sensitive data, or don’t have the problematic data. Use encryption. Learn more about social engineering and scams, manipulation, gaslighting, DARVO, and other considerations and potential risks. Also about your own health and wellness too, as simply being tired is itself a security risk. Etc.
ProppedDaisy2728 wrote:
yes it’s deleted. ever since the incident happened back in march i have kept bluetooth off. i was just wondering why the advisor who i called back in march thinks it could be a hack but you don’t, im just worrying about it so im trying to check everything lol.
Sorry, I am confused. So, are you not seeing the Pixel phone in Bluetooth setting anymore? With Bluetooth turned off and the Google Home app deleted, I would have to suspect that you no longer see it. Not sure what you meant by it keeps coming back, whether you were referring to the Google Home app or the Pixel phone or even if that is a concern anymore and we are talking about something that happened in March that has been resolved.
As for the Apple Advisor, I don't know if you are referring to the Pixel issue or the Battery draining issue. The term "hack" is a general term and can include just about anything. Certainly an account can be compromised when someone else gains access through a phishing message. I do not consider this a hack, although you may or even the Apple Advisor. To me, when we are talking about a device that is "hacked" you are referring to someone able to gain remote access to the device, an NO that is not the case. I also assume you are not a high value target where a government sponsored entity with close to a million dollars is not using mercenary spyware as alerted by Apple here:
About Apple threat notifications and protecting against mercenary spyware - Apple Support
Another example of a difference in an account being compromised where a user may think their device is hacked is when they get your iCloud password and if you use iCloud Photos, they can delete or add a photo on the iCloud website. Your phone syncs the data with iCloud, so on your device you would see the photo has been removed or one that is added. This is not a case of your device being hacked and no one has remote access to the device to make that change, it is due to the account being compromised.
ProppedDaisy2728 wrote:
but that’s the thing i don’t have any other devices besides airpods, which haven’t been used. why would it say pixel 8 pro? that’s a google phone and i don’t use google products
If you follow the procedure I said, which apps have access to Bluetooth?
ProppedDaisy2728 wrote:
i had the app deleted but it was still saying i was giving it bluetooth permissions
Disable Bluetooth permissions for it, then Force Restart your iPhone.
ProppedDaisy2728 wrote:
the apple advisor i spoke to on the phone right after thinks differently lol, he said it’s either a glitch or could be a hack so why would he say that lol
You can proceed however you wish. It is your choice if you want to follow the recommendations or not. I assumed you were looking for help because the information that the Apple Advisor gave you obviously provided no help at all. From your previous concerns about being hacked, I think you have received solutions that have proved otherwise.
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Verify the Google Home app has been deleted from your device by going to the App Library by swiping all the way to the left and then swipe down on the screen to view the apps alphabetically. Scroll down to the G's to view the apps and confirm it has been deleted. You certainly can delete the app from your Home Screen when choosing the delete option and it will remain on your device, but I have never seen a case where an app reappeared after being deleted.
After it has been deleted and not showing in your App Library, then go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Bluetooth where that app will no longer be listed. Post a screenshot of what you see there, and permission for the other apps to use Bluetooth should already be denied by now as directed previously.
That is going to prevent the Pixel phone from showing as a Bluetooth connection. That problem should now be solved and you can proceed with any other issue that you need help with. Screenshots will be your friend as they are more helpful in visualizing what you are seeing, just redact any personal information.
Apps can reappear on your device when downloaded from another device that is signed into your account and also some options will be synced to those devices through iCloud. That is why you need to go to Settings > [name on top], and scroll to the bottom to see if you do have other devices signed into your account.
Could you please tell us what “weird things” you are experiencing on your iPhone? In about all cases, they do not indicate your iPhone has been hacked. In order for an iPhone to be hacked, it must be jailbroken, meaning the hacker has your iPhone and Apple Account credentials. Even so, this is a very extensive procedure costing hundreds of thousands of $, as a result is usually only targeted to high-status people.
ProppedDaisy2728 wrote:
google home app, spotify, life 360. i’ve checked this before and since removed access. The google home in question has not been plugged in, in years. why would it say pixel 8 pro tho. also, back in march after i noticed it, siri came on a few times unexpectedly without me saying siri. after that i turned it off.
Google Home App sounds like the suspect. Now that you have removed access does it still show up in Bluetooth? You can also try deleting the app if you haven’t used it in years.
I haven’t got any emails about it password changes, no notifications about it or anything, but back in march a pixel 8 pro device was connected to my iphone via bluetooth and i didn’t pair it. Yes, connected. The “i” symbol that is supposed to be next to all devices under “my devices” wasn’t there either.
Back in march, i noticed a device called “pixel 8 pro” listed as connected under “my devices” in bluetooth settings. no, it was not a nearby device. it was connected. The “i” symbol wasn’t next to the device either , i think someone hacked me via bluetooth
How can I tell if my iPhone is hacked?
