iOS virus

Try installing DNSCrypt and see if the problem stops: http://www.opendns.com/technology/dnscrypt/

Note that this particular topic is about redirect problems on an iPad, so the issues at play here are significantly different. Although malware is not a possible explanation for this behavior on an iPad (unless it has been jailbroken), the same is not true of a Mac. There is some malware out there that can cause this problem, so on a Mac, if changing DNS servers and networks doesn't help, you'd better do a scan for malware. I recommend ClamXav for that task.

I don't want this to turn into an off-topic discussion, though, so if you have more questions about this sort of thing on a Mac, start a new topic over on the Snow Leopard forum.

Hi everyone, I'm going to post this here as I did not catch this was an iOS specific discussion – my apologies. I'll also post it in the other OS X specific threads in which a problem similar to mine was cited. (This way, if someone finds this thread via a search, as I did, they might also find a fix.)

My problem was resolved by *flushing the DNS cache* via the Terminal utility after changing the DNS entries to OpenDNS servers.

Here's the command line instruction I typed into the Terminal:

dscacheutil -flushcache

best,

Jose

I'm wondering if it's more along the line of google being hacked. (something they'll never admit until someone makes a huge issue about it)

I've seen search results with benign titles go to 'bad' sites...and the only way you know they go to bad sites is to see the web address it's going to. (for me, anything .it, .rus or .cn are evil and never to be visited., Italy, Russia, China, 3 very bad countries for hosting malicious sites)

I doubt it as this would be headline news. Also, it even redirected a url I had bookmarked.

And... I spoke too soon. It just happened to me again on a Google Shopping link. 😢

The topic is about the iPad, not on OSX. Your tip only clouds the issue.. Thanks, but it's off topic.

I’ve experienced something strange too.

I was using a non-Safari app to browse the Internet, and something strange happened. I don't remember what it was exactly, because I didn't think much about it at the time. However, two hours later when I went to use my ipad again, (I admit this may have been a fault of mine, and the stuff I mention in the remainder of this paragraph may not be related to the things I will write in the sequent paragraphs) a notification came up that told me to login to FaceTime. I tried to login, but it just wouldn't work. After playing around with the device, I learned that my password was changed. I restored my password, and that appeared to be the end of my problems, but it wasn't.

Here’s the real reason why I think there’s something wrong with my ipad.

I've been noticing a strange lag on my ipad 2, which is similar to what it feels like when a Windows computer has a virus. I did not have this lag before, and it appears to be system wide. (Many apps open more slowly, and the ipad doesn't respond as smoothly as it used to.)

Furthermore, I found out yesterday that many of the files (in one of my apps) somehow became corrupt and refuse to open. Also yesterday, I found that another app was missing all of its files completely. And about 30 minutes ago, I opened my Pages and Keynote apps and discovered that all of my files were corrupt and wouldn't open. Luckily, they were restored from icloud, thank God, as I have some important stuff there.

I was afraid that it was some type of virus, or if not has anyone else experienced anything similar?

Regarding what was said above, iOS viruses do exist. One popular virus was once implemented by jailbrakeme.com (or whatever that site is called, I'm not sure since I never visited it, but my friend told me about it.), basically what happened is that some types of PDFs caused the iOS PDF reader to crash the system, and while the system was in that crashed state, it was possible to run a script that jailbroke your device for you. However, the PDF issue was fixed on iOS 5, thus that particular virus only works for iOS 4.3. But, it means that a similar virus can theoretically be discovered.

I would love to do a clean restore on my device, but I have more than 25Gigs of stuff on there, and it wouldn't be realistic for me to try to redownload everything. Can anyone suggest another way to figure out where a virus could potentially hide and how to delete just that app or that sector of memory (and then restore it), if that is at all possible?

Anyways, thanks

Oh, and Irnchriz, please don't call people out like that, because you never know, the guy may have had a valid point. There’s no way to be 100% sure that iOS 5 is completely free from holes that would allow a virus to exist. Even as I write this, I remember about a bug on the iPad 3 that Apple hasn't fixed yet, which shows that even Apple is human and can let something slip.

Anyways, peace people

And thanks.

I'm sorry, but you're talking absolute rubbish. There are on viruses for iOS. The jailbreakme exploit was not a virus. It was a know exploit to jailbreak iOS 4, which used an exploit in safari's PDF reader. It didn't infect by stealth, it had to be directly installed by the user, with the button asking "jailbreakme".

The only real attempt was by a Dutch hacker called ikee who found a hole left by users who activated open SSH and didn't change the root password. You had to have a jailbroken iPhone, then turn on open SSH, and leave the root password as default. All it did was inject a worm that put a picture of Rick Astley as your wallpaper saying you had just been Rickrolled. It was an alert to users to change the root password or turn open SSH off.

You don't identify the "non Safari app" you say you used. If it was true, you would have certainly remembered it. There are many reasons why FaceTime may have asked for your password, but a phontom virus would not be one of them. FaceTime uses your Apple ID to connect, and use your contact list.

It sounds like you had more of an issue with your iOS installation than some phantom, nonexistent virus. iOS is sandboxed, meaning no app or app data can affect or alter the system files. All corruption is contained within the app data files and can't contaminate the system. Again, your paranoia got the better of you, when all you had was a flaky iOS installation, or your apps may have needed updating to match a newer iOS.

I suggest you do some reading about viruses, OSX and iOS. Supposition and mad conjecture don't count as factual information. That was a nice piece of fiction you wrote there.

The reason I didn’t identify the browser app is because I didn’t want to inadvertently slander a good app’s name. Furthermore, the reason I don’t remember which site I visited was because I was researching a lot of stuff at the time, and one can hardly expect me to remember the exact search result that I pressed on. And as I said, I didn’t think much about it at the time, and two hours later is more than enough time to forget which site caused your app to crash.

Yesterday, I didn’t remember exactly what happened (as it was more than a week ago), whereas today I say the word “crash.” You may call me out again as being untruthful (no offence taken) and changing my story: “If it was true, you would have certainly remembered it.”But I assure you that it did happen, and my story has Not changed. The reason that (today) I know it’s a crash is because I looked it up with the “Diagnostic & Usage Data” feature of the ipad ios, and I found the crash report there.

But enough defending myself, as this isn't helping.

I’ll say this final thing though: everything I said about iOS vulnerability was 100% true, if you don’t believe me, look it up. I did last night, and I confirmed that jailbrakeme.com is a real site, and that the security flaw did exist in iOS 4.3 (and earlier), which allowed hackers to run code on your iOS device. (I wouldN’T recommend visiting it though, from you iOS device or your computer, as apparently it was sold to a third party who may no longer use it for “moral” hacking. And, because my virus blocker blocked something every time I opened it last night.)

Now, I see your point that you have to press some buttons to download the corrupt file –and that the process isn’t automatic–, but the only reason this is true is: the developer was a “moral” hacker, who was offering a service, rather than stealing your information. If he wanted to, he could’ve made the file open automatically, but he just chose to make a user friendly interface instead. That isn’t something that a criminal hacker would do, he would just open it automatically.

Anyways, when I looked at the “Diagnostics and Usage Data,” I learned that my iPad 2 frequently runs out of memory (which I attribute to the fact that I have iOS 5.1, and most of my apps are optimized for the retina display, meaning that they require more memory than the iPad 2 was designed to handle.) Therefore, the sluggishness that I mentioned may not be “virus” related.But this doesn’t explain why four of my apps lost their saved files, and why the crash reports for two of those apps don’t appear under “Diagnostics and Usage Data” at all, or why reports for the other two apps are completely blank except for the title. Listen, I don’t know if there’s a virus or not, all I’m saying is that there is something wrong, and I would like to diagnose it. And help would be appreciated.

Thanks, peace

You don't listen do you? There are NO viruses that exist for iOS!

"Anyways" ..........

If there were one, it would be big news. We would know way before you, that's for sure. You can believe whatever fairytale you like, but your assumptions are wrong, misguided, and misleading. Take it from me. I have 26 years in IT and work every day with these things.

You obviously didn't read what I wrote about the jailbreakme exploit did you? Go back and read what I wrote. It explains the whole thing (or go to wikipedia and read about it). Those hackers (the Dev team) took months to find the exploit, write the code and provide the exploit using a userland jailbreak. It wasn't a virus. It was a jailbreak. A way for users to access iOS so as to modify their devices. It did not allow hackers to run code on your device at all, it allowed users to run the exploit to jailbreak their devices themselves. We all knew about this at the time, and keep ourselves up to date on what is happening with the hacking community. We know a new jailbreak exploit will be released within the next month for iOS 5.1.

What corrupt file? What are you talking about? Do you know what you are talking about? Don't assume anything just because you think it might be true. It isn't.

Your device is running out of drive space, not "memory". Memory is RAM (Random Access Memory), not storage space on your iPad. Don't fill your iPad up and expect it to run flawlessly. Delete some things and have at least 10% of your storage space free. It has nothing to do with you running iOS5.1, it has everything to do with you filling your iPad up to capacity will useless stuff.

Check for updates for your Apps and update them, delete things to give your iPad some breathing room, and your device will work as it is designed to. If the next time you have a problem, don't assume some phantom virus has infected your iPad, as the problem is most always simply explained and fixed with the right advice.

If you need help, then just ask, but don't come here and scream "the sky is falling". It won't help you or anyone.

Here's another one that doesn't read post properly. Where did I say "no exploits"? I said NO VIRUSES. Show me a virus written for iOS and I will shut up. The Dev team have found multiple exploits, it takes them months, but they find them. Anyways, dude, the java malware you speak about was for OSX, not iOS, and Apple patched it. For god sake. Get an education, PLEASE! Your brain might be infected, not your iPad, dude. Stop post ridiculous garbage here and your thread will go away.

Definition of a computer virus: A computer virus is a computer program that can replicate itself[1] and spread from one computer to another. The term "virus" is also commonly, but erroneously used, to refer to other types of malware, including but not limited to adware and spyware programs that do not have a reproductive ability.

If anyone would like to prove me wrong, then I'm happy to concede. Show me proof that a virus (as described above) exists for iOS.

I think most PC Windows users are so use to viruses, they expect them everywhere, even where they don't exist.

Andrew, come on man, no one is saying the sky is falling. We're just trying to figure stuff out.

Just to clarify by “drive space,” you mean on the hard drive, right?

I was talking about actual “memory.” I have 38 “LowMemory” errors from just the last seven days.

I would just like to further clarify, yes I am running out of hard drive space (drive space), but I am also running out of memory, and as far as I'm aware, they are two different things, right?

Well I was just trying to say, I believe that the sluggishness of my device may be related to the “LowMemory” errors that started to appear at about the same time my ipad started to be sluggish (but this has nothing to do with my hard drive space, as far as I'm aware, since I have about 1Gig left, which should be plenty for anything the ipad may need.)

Ok. You've said that I didn't read your posts. Well I did, and right at the end of my post, I said, “Therefore, the sluggishness that I mentioned may not be “virus” related.” And I went on to say that: after I found out about my “LowMemory” errors/alerts(whatever they're called), I was no longer confident that it was a virus. But you're going back to a point I not making anymore. I don't want to talk about a virus anymore, can we please leave that mess of a discussion alone.

I appreciate the time you're putting into responding to me, and I would like to have a nice, level, friendly discussion. Let's just leave all of the virus (or no virus) discussions for another time, since there are plenty of other questions brought up by this forum that we can talk about.