Do hidden apps exist on a non-jailbroken phone?

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Do hidden apps exist on a non-jailbroken phone?

Hi everybody,

let me explain my situation.

So, today I was restoring my iPhone 4S from an iCloud back up through iTunes. First I just wanted to restore it to factory settings. I clicked on the restore button in iTunes, it gave me a message that there are some purchased apps on my iPhone that were not tranfered to my iTunes and would be deleted after the restore. I manually checked all of the apps on my phone, and they were all in iTunes, so that message kind of confused me.

After restoring the phone to the factory settings i chose to restore it from my iCloud back-up. Once the background restore has started, it asked me to enter a password for my Apple ID to install the apps as usually, but after several minutes another window popped up with some other apple ID requesting for a password. Now I can surely say that there were no apps that I know of on my phone that were installed from somebody else's account.

Now where this becomes interesting is that the person whose name was written in the apple ID box, once had an access to my phone for 2 hours without me knowing it. Also that person knew some of the texts that were sent from my phone.

Summarizing all of the said above, I got an idea that maybe that person had installed some SMS tracking software to my phone, which was hidden (it wasn't visible within the apps, neither has itunes requested moving it to my library).

My question is whether this is possible. My phone isn't jailbroken. And is there any way I can find it out using iExplorer (or something similar) by looking at my back-up file?(since the app shouldn't be there anymore cause i didn't know that person's password)

Does anybody know anything about this?

Thanks in advance.

iPhone 4S, iOS 6.0.2

Posted on Jan 23, 2013 2:57 PM

Reply

Answer 1

sberman

Level 10

263,661 points

Jan 23, 2013 3:40 PM in response to Miss Cathy

You can look at the apps in iTunes on your computer. Try right clicking (or control-clicking on Mac) on each one and do "Get Info". That will confirm the Apple iD of the purchaser.

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Answer 2

Miss Cathy Author

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Jan 23, 2013 3:50 PM in response to sberman

The problem is that the app is not on my computer. I've never seen the actual app. I just know that there was something due to pop-up windows that I got.

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Answer 3

cheonweb

Level 4

3,479 points

Jan 23, 2013 3:57 PM in response to sberman

iTunes asks to transfer purchases because you have updated versions of them in your iPhone.

Check your Settings if there is his Apple ID somewhere.

Settings>iCloud>Account

Settings>Messages>Send and Receive>Apple ID

Settings>FaceTime>Apple ID

Settings>iTunes and App Stores

Change your Apple ID password

Delete any of the App that downloaded with his Apple ID (as sberman said) and re-download them if you want with your account.

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Answer 4

cheonweb

Level 4

3,479 points

Jan 23, 2013 4:00 PM in response to Miss Cathy

Every app that purchased with his Apple ID will be asked for his password in order to update it or restore it from backup.

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Answer 5

Miss Cathy Author

Level 1

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Jan 23, 2013 4:06 PM in response to cheonweb

All of my apps were synced after the updates. (there were old copies of them in my trash can)

In all of my settings, there's only my ID, I never downloaded anything with that person's account, or anybody else's account.

I guess you guys misread my question. What I'm actually saying is that I was very surprised that the phone requested that person's Apple ID, as I NEVER downloaded anything from her account. All of the apps that I have were purchased using my Apple ID.

Also I'm not sure if there is any hidden app, it was just my ASSUMPTION and my real question is whether you can confirm that this is possible and if there is any way to check it.

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Answer 6

sberman

Level 10

263,661 points

Jan 23, 2013 4:09 PM in response to Miss Cathy

I, for one, did not misread your question.

Again, I suggest checking every one of those apps that you know about for their Apple ID.

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Answer 7

Miss Cathy Author

Level 1

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Jan 23, 2013 4:20 PM in response to sberman

Okay, I just went through all of the apps that I have in my iTunes library and they all have my Apple ID.

Even if there was an app, I don't think it could have gotten into my iTunes library since, her's Apple ID isn't authorised on my computer. And I know all the apps that I have, I remember downloading all of them. There was nothing suspicious. Do you know if it's possible to hide an icon/make it invisible/have an app without an icon? What other explanations are there?

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Answer 8

sberman

Level 10

263,661 points

Jan 23, 2013 4:24 PM in response to Miss Cathy

Just to make sure, are restrictions off? Check Settings > General > Restrictions

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Answer 9

Miss Cathy Author

Level 1

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Jan 23, 2013 4:26 PM in response to sberman

They are all on.

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Answer 10

alp72589

Level 1

46 points

Jan 23, 2013 4:55 PM in response to Miss Cathy

That sounds like a fraud issue. Do you share your Apple ID with anyone else? Or do you think someone else has your credit card information you have stored with your Apple ID? I would contact Apple Support first to tell them about the situation then contact your cell phone provider to make sure there isnt anybody using your ESN #.

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Answer 11

Miss Cathy Author

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Jan 23, 2013 5:00 PM in response to alp72589

So do you think that this is actually possible and my assumptions are correct? I share my Apple ID with one person but there's no way that person would give my information away. And I don't have a credit card assossiated with my Apple ID.

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Answer 12

alp72589

Level 1

46 points

Jan 23, 2013 5:26 PM in response to Miss Cathy

Yes it's definitely because you're sharing it, you shouldn't share your apple id with anyone because all of their applications that are downloaded on their phone is under your id. I suggest you create a new apple id then re-back up your phone and have the other person do the same

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Answer 13

Jan 23, 2013 5:33 PM in response to Miss Cathy

Do you have any MUSIC on your phone that might have been purchased with the other Apple ID? If you are restoring the phone you would be asked for the password for the ID that the music was purchased with.

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Answer 14

Miss Cathy Author

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Jan 23, 2013 5:40 PM in response to Lawrence Finch

No, I don't. My music is imported into iTunes from CD's and other sources. The only content purchased from iTunes is apps.

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Answer 15

Miss Cathy Author

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Jan 23, 2013 5:42 PM in response to alp72589

I don't get how this is connected. That person never downloads anything without my permission. And how would us having the same apps help somebody else to install a hidden application to my phone?

As I already said, I believe that the person could have just gone to app store from her account and downloaded it to my phone, as she had an access to my phone for several hours without me knowing it. The problem is not how she got something on there, the problem is, I don't understand why wasn't it visible before or showing any signs? There were no new app icons, itunes never asked me to authorise that account. There was no hint of anything thirdparty being installed, untill today's weird request for a password about I don't know what. Also I don't understand how is that possible when my phone isn't jailbroken. Is apple allowing such kind of apps?

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