Has our iPad been hacked?

Dickl1 wrote:

Thank you for the recommendation and the link. After I charged the iPad, the Restart worked. I still got the Hello screen, but when I entered the passcode, I got a message about software update loading, and then "Update Completed, IOS 26.2" and messages about the features of IOS26.2

So it was just a Software Update running, but it seemed to do so in an intrusive way.

All now seems to be running normally. Thanks for your help. It was relief to know we hadn't been hacked.

Presumably, prior to this update, your iPad was running iPadOS 18.x. After a major version update, seeing the multilingual "hello" page is entirely normal - as is the prompt to enter your device Passcode.

Be aware that iPadOS 26.3 is current. If you haven't already done so, you should install this update - as it includes both functional fixes and essential security updates for your iPad.

Force a restart: If your iPad won't turn on or is frozen - Apple Support

See if things work better.

As documented by Apple in its Security Guide, for devices with TouchID or FaceID enabled, you device Passcode is reportedly required in the following circumstances…

A passcode or password is also required if the device is in any of the following states:

• The device has just been turned on or restarted

• The user has logged out of their Mac account (or hasn’t yet logged in).

• The user hasn’t unlocked their device for more than 48 hours.

• The user hasn’t used their passcode or password to unlock their device for 156 hours (six and a half days), and the user hasn’t used a biometric to unlock their device in

4 hours.

• The device has received a remote lock command

• The user exited power off / Emergency SOS by pressing and holding either volume button and the Sleep/Wake button simultaneously for 2 seconds and then pressing Cancel.

• There were five unsuccessful biometric match attempts (though for usability, the device might offer entering a passcode or password instead of using biometrics after a smaller number of failures).

When Face ID with a mask is enabled on an iPhone, it’s available for the next 6.5 hours after one of the following user actions:

• Successful Face ID match attempt (with or without a mask)

• Device passcode validation

• Device unlock with Apple Watch

Any of these actions extends the period by an additional 6.5 hours when performed.