iOS virus

You do realize you're just talking to fellow users here???? We're not Apple. We can't control anything. We certainly can't fix what you claim to be a security flaw.

A course of action that might get results is to communicate directly to Apple via that 'Contact Us' like down to the right.

No such thing exists as a virus for iOS. Never. If you visit "spurious" web sites, you will get pop up windows redirecting you to other spurious sites. Go into your Safari settings and clear cookies and data and clear history. You might want to turn private browsing on if you're going to visit "those" type of sites. And turn on block pop ups as well. Before you blame Apple for infecting your device, check whose using it first, they might be visiting websites that will bring you this type of grief. If you say you manage these sites, then check that the latest version of javascript is being used to develop your page. Certain websites do crash the browser if javascript isn't compatable.

The only thing that needs to be addressed immediately, is the total lack of understanding of how iOS works here.

The fix is in your hands. If you have to restore your device, then set it up as a new device. Corrupt third party data files will return with a restore from a backup.

Your iPad is not infected with anything, as there are no viruses that affect an iOS device that has not been jailbroken. Further, cookies and other stored web data have nothing to do with it as Andrew J implies. If you are having redirect problems, you are either using a poisoned DNS server or your wireless router has been hacked. See:

When I try to visit a web site, I get redirected to a different site!

(Note that my pages contain links to other pages that promote my services, and this should not be taken as an endorsement of my services by Apple.)

What the others have said, it's less an issue with the iPad and more an issue with a contaminated ad or something like that. Even the best sites can use 3rd party services that don't take care of their ads and end up with malicious ads in the mix that can muck up your computer.

There is no POSSIBILITY of a virus on an iOS device. The only code that is allowed to run is code from the App Store. It is conceivably possible for a malicious app to make it past Apple's screening, but that would not be something properly termed a virus, and it would not be able to affect how Safari loads a web page due to the tight sand boxing in iOS. You are barking up the wrong tree.

You have not provided much in the way of details, and the video you referred to is gone. What sites are you seeing redirects with, and where does it redirect you?

Can you get past your ranting and give us some information. Your youtube video was removed by you, so what you are saying is just nonsense. What is happening? When is it happening? Which app are you using when it happens? You talk about root user passwords. Root user passwords are only acessable when a device is jailbroken and SSH has been switched on. Momentary redirect? What are you smoking? Are we talking pop ups, or new tabs opening, what? You only get filthy redirections from bad sites anyway. Give us some URL's so we can test out your claim.

I don't think you understand how hard it is to write unsigned code to self exploit on an iOS device, in fact it's not possible without your knowledge. The hackers who write the jailbreaking code, work for months to work on exploits, and they are the best in the world. If you are so concerned about someone hacking into your device, then do this. Restore your device. Set it up as a new device. DO NOT RESTORE FROM BACK UP!!! Sync your things back and you have a totally clean device.

And it is possible for unsigned code to run, that's the whole premise of a jailbreak.

That requires very specific and difficult steps, involving replacing backed up iPad files on your computer with hacked versions and then restoring the hacked system back to your iPad. That is not something that you are likely to have done. You've gotta let the malware thing go, it's just going to keep you from finding a solution.

On your iPad, go to Settings -> General -> Network -> Wi-Fi and tap the little blue '>' button next to your selected wireless network. Is the DNS server what you expect it to be? Try changing that to something else, like the Google or OpenDNS servers I referred to in the link I gave you earlier.

It appears that you are trolling and/or have absolutley bo understanding of how iOS works on your device.

If you are genuine (doubt it) go into Settings > General > Network > WiFi, then tap the blue circle next to your wireless network, go to the DNS entry. make a note of the current DNS entry. Now delete out the address then put in 208.67.222.222 and try browsing.

If you can browse without redirects AND the previous DNS entry is the same as the Gateway address then you need to check the DNS in your router.

If you are still being redirected then you are telling porkies.

This is the first time I've seen any reference to this SERIOUS issue on this or any other forum, blog, or news outlet. Nor have I heard from any user who experiences it, and the people I know who use the iPad range from technophobes to IT professionals, and from little children to senior citizens.

Actually, I've had the same or similar "symptoms" for the last week on Safari 5.1.2 on 10.6.8.

I've been to Thomas A Reed's page that he's linked to in other threads with other user's describing similar symptoms. I've switched the DNS settings (using Open DNS for now), I've installed Safari anew, and, significantly, the problem persists regardless of whose WiFi network I'm on – i.e., not my own.

To be clear, the problem for me is: when clicking on search results from Google, I am sometimes (not always, sometimes) redirected to various sites such as happili.com, ChinaFlix.com, etc. When I return to the previous Google results page and click the link a second time there is no redirect. This began about a week, perhaps 10 days ago.

There are at least a half-dozen recent threads in the forums describing a similar if not identical problem. (Thomas, you've participated in some of these as well.)

None of the solutions tendered have worked for me – barring a clean wipe / complete reinstall. I have an appt with a Genius bar and will post what they suggest here in other threads that are unresolved.

Thanks,

J