Can the iPhone5 be hacked remotely by a hacker?

This thread is all over the place. Last post, you were SURE it was software, now you are SURE it is hardware, even though bluetooth has a range FAR greater than 2 feet. It's funny to read, but it's time to find a way to not get updates on this thread. You should get a different phone, it's clear that your paranoia will never end with this phone. #TeamMeg

me2on6 wrote:

There's another REALLY IMPORTANT item that I've discovered that relates to this phantom behaviors: They ONLY occur WHEN MY iPHONE IS WITHIN a certain proximity (about 2 FEET) of MY DESKTOP computer. I think that BLUETOOTH devices/drivers from the computer may be responsible and gaining access to the IOS. I wasn't sure to write this initially, so I didn't include it, but I've done about a hundred tests so far just on proximity (next to my computer vs 1 foot away vs 2 ft away and beyond), and I notice that the behaviors ALWAYS stop at (approximately) 2 feet away. More recently, I'm starting to test disabling vs uninstalling the bluetooth drivers on the desktop (since I don't use bluetooth on my computer or iphone). The trick with uninstalling is I think Windows updates keep re-adding the bluetooth driver every time I uninstall it. So lately I'm experimenting with just "disabling" it under Bluetooth Settings.

Once again, this has nothing to do with hacking. It's long past time for you to take your phone to Apple and have them look at it.

DavidOpdyke wrote:

This thread is all over the place. Last post, you were SURE it was software, now you are SURE it is hardware, even though bluetooth has a range FAR greater than 2 feet. It's funny to read, but it's time to find a way to not get updates on this thread. You should get a different phone, it's clear that your paranoia will never end with this phone. #TeamMeg

Never had my own hashtag before! 😀

If you read any (preferably all) of my posts, it's abundantly obvious that the phone is hacked. Because of your previous answers, and again here, I'll ask you again, Meg, please don't respond to my posts. Your answers are not appreciated. I'd rather hear from others and hear their experiences. Also, when you write others (above), "You realize, don't you, that you're responding to a post that's a year and a half old?", that's pretty rude. People are writing in because they have relevant issues, not because they want to be abused. In my case, it's not an iPhone 5, it's the SAME behaviors everyone's describing, but on an iPhone 6... so that's current no matter how old the thread is. I'm sure all the posters want to see all the information others have to share, even (especially) a year later. If you're constantly responding to a thread and very active here daily, these are obviously important, relevant issues. Don't dismiss the thread. Also, while you removed my answer to your question (the one about Bluetooth "versus" software), it's important to share with others my response which included, "I'm just adding bluetooth to the list of possible culprits, including software, firmware. I believe bluetooth communications require software last time I checked?" I also included in the post you deleted, "you shouldn't be telling people to just "get a different phone", since that may also be counterproductive. I didn't create this thread lol. I'm just 1 of 100s of people, all with the same problem, looking for solutions. Remember, from my posts, if you read them carefully, you'll see that I've experienced this BEFORE & AFTER Apple sent a brand new phone out. Also, calling customers "paranoid" because they're reporting issues here isn't constructive, It's best not to dismiss these issues and users. Last time I checked... #CustomersMatter

me2on6 wrote:

If you read any (preferably all) of my posts, it's abundantly obvious that the phone is hacked.

No, really, it's abundantly obvious that they have not been hacked and that you are misinterpreting things and are unwilling to do the troubleshooting that would probably resolve your issue because of your idee fixe. I am concerned that other people with similar, solvable problems will read your posts and panic.

I have read all of your posts (which was painful), and all I can say is the FBI needs to talk to you, because they paid over $1 million to a hacker to hack the San Bernardino terrorist's iPhone. Clearly there's a hacker who will do it for nothing if they hacked your phone.

Lschoend wrote:

I have read all of these comments and the ones that claim your iPhone can't be hacked are delusional. I watched both my and my daughter's iPhones (5 and 5s) operate themselves. No cables were attached. Whoever was controlling the phone was opening apps, trying to download music, etc. and was also able to prevent me from getting to Settings or turn off the phone.

What you're describing sounds like a bad digitizer. There's an axiom taught to medical students that applies here as well: When you hear hoofbeats, think horses, not zebras. Given the mountains of professional evidence that says your phone can't be remotely hacked, making the assumption that your phone has been hacked rather than some other, more likely explanation, is definitely jumping straight past zebras right to unicorns.

Lschoend wrote:

I have read all of these comments and the ones that claim your iPhone can't be hacked are delusional. I watched both my and my daughter's iPhones (5 and 5s) operate themselves. No cables were attached. Whoever was controlling the phone was opening apps, trying to download music, etc. and was also able to prevent me from getting to Settings or turn off the phone. I spent 20 minutes playing games and finally had to do a hard reset then quickly erase the phone. Was probably malware from an app that was downloaded, who knows, but to assert that it was a bad cable or anything else is just nonsense. I would rather be informed and alert than lulled into some false sense of security.

Considering that the FBI just paid a professional hacker $1.3 million to hack an iPhone, you really need to explain to them that it was unnecessary, that it's clear that any iPhone can be hacked for free.

Sorry to disappoint you both, Meg and Tonefox, but Apple Support agreed with me. Digitizers were not mentioned. I received clear instructions to erase all content and settings and set it up as a new phone, then selectively reinstall only trusted apps. As far as unicorns go, assuming that two different device models both developed the same hardware problem, independently, within less than 24 hours of each other sounds a lot closer to invisible pink unicorns with glitter. And by the way, in my profession we routinely operate entire banks of iPhones remotely as part of load testing mobile apps. All you need is the software on the phone and a remote system to control it. Granted we installed it deliberately, but what we can do anyone else can do. In the future, your comments would be far more helpful and perhaps taken seriously were they not so disrespectful and dismissive.

Lschoend wrote:

And by the way, in my profession we routinely operate entire banks of iPhones remotely as part of load testing mobile apps. All you need is the software on the phone and a remote system to control it.

And you remotely (with no physical access to the phones) installed this software?

Meg I (and everyone else) routinely install software in the form of apps. All it takes is an app that is not what it seems. This is a widely known problem (flashlight apps are infamous for this but there are many others).

For those confused by the FBI paying money to get a phone hacked, they misunderstand the problem. Trying to hack a phone once it is locked is obviously difficult but not impossible. My phones were only being remotely operated when they were unlocked. Also this is software I probably installed unawares, not software someone tried to install remotely. Installing software remotely and using already installed software to control a device are two completely different problems.

Lschoend wrote:

Meg I (and everyone else) routinely install software in the form of apps. All it takes is an app that is not what it seems. This is a widely known problem (flashlight apps are infamous for this but there are many others).

For those confused by the FBI paying money to get a phone hacked, they misunderstand the problem. Trying to hack a phone once it is locked is obviously difficult but not impossible. My phones were only being remotely operated when they were unlocked. Also this is software I probably installed unawares, not software someone tried to install remotely. Installing software remotely and using already installed software to control a device are two completely different problems.

If it were as easy as you seem to think, there would be security experts posting articles about it all over the place. The instances in which apps that were downloaded by the person who owns the phone which turned out to be malicious, were very limited and the exploits were quickly patched. But, the important thing is they were not installed remotely. They required someone to download the apps from an untrustworthy source (in all but one case). Is it absolutely impossible? No. Is it highly unlikely? Yes. Is it likely that it's what happened to your phones? No.

Mtfotonut wrote:

wow, I've just recently been having a touching problem when I'm in my iMessage app. I have a 5s and up to date with OS 10.0.2 Up until just recently I have had flawless usage.

Start with the most likely possibilities and have your phone checked out by the Genius Bar at your nearest Apple Store.

Right but in my situation I was uneducated in the world of hacking and like them, thought my phone needed repair. It wasn't until $40k later that I found out I was hacked and a victim of identity theft at the hands of a relative who jailbroke my phone. She now has 2 warrants for her arrest but it has taken me 3 years to get to that point. I had to spend my every waking moment educating myself on the world of hacking; first with Android then IOS. ****, at one point I carried both, as well as a Window's phone just to try and keep ahead of my "hacker". Apple needs to realize this **** is real and it destroys lives. If all these companies would take the developer tools off their websites it would help. The FCC should also require mobile service providers to hide your IP and MAC addresses. The same goes for internet service providers. These things wont stop it all but it will cut down on the number of occurrences.

Crushoncorey wrote:

Right but in my situation I was uneducated in the world of hacking and like them, thought my phone needed repair. It wasn't until $40k later that I found out I was hacked and a victim of identity theft at the hands of a relative who jailbroke my phone. She now has 2 warrants for her arrest but it has taken me 3 years to get to that point. I had to spend my every waking moment educating myself on the world of hacking; first with Android then IOS. ****, at one point I carried both, as well as a Window's phone just to try and keep ahead of my "hacker". Apple needs to realize this **** is real and it destroys lives. If all these companies would take the developer tools off their websites it would help. The FCC should also require mobile service providers to hide your IP and MAC addresses. The same goes for internet service providers. These things wont stop it all but it will cut down on the number of occurrences.

You gave your relative physical access to your phone and they did bad things. Hiding your IP and MAC addresses would not have stopped that. If Apple took developer tools off their websites, people wouldn't be able to develop apps.

What really needs to happen is that people need to learn to treat their phones like they would their wallet, their social security number, their passport and their house keys. I'm sorry you had to learn that lesson the hard way. But, like falling for phishing scams, there's a limit to what anyone else can do to protect you from yourself.

Enable Find My iPhone on your phone. Do NOT share the passcode to your Apple ID with anyone. Put a complex password on your phone. Do NOT share that passcode with anyone. Do NOT install apps from anyplace but the App Store. If you do those things, there is almost no chance your phone can be compromised at this time. These things are far more effective than any of the things you suggest would be.