NikD
Level 1 (1 points)

Q: How do I prevent Personal Hotspot from automatically activating whenever a device decides to connect to my phone.

On my iPhone6, even when I have "Personal Hotspot" deactivated other devices (MacBook & iPod) can still see the personal hotspot listed in their Wi-Fi settings. If they then select to join the hotspot, my phone automatically activates "Personal Hotspot". This seems like a serious security hole.

 

Is there a way to stop the phone from automatically activating personal hotspot?

 

Additionally, the user of the MacBook or iPod is never prompted to enter the hotspot password. What's the point of the password then?

Posted on Jan 16, 2015 9:15 AM

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NikD

Q: How do I prevent Personal Hotspot from automatically activating whenever a device decides to connect to my phone.

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  • by Sparkleberry,

    Sparkleberry Sparkleberry Jan 16, 2015 9:33 AM in response to NikD
    Level 4 (3,110 points)
    Notebooks
    Jan 16, 2015 9:33 AM in response to NikD

    See if this reply by Ian Parkinson is of assistance

     

    My iphone 6 with ios8.1 is always transmitting personal hotspot even if turned off. How do i stop the leakage?

  • by JimHdk,

    JimHdk JimHdk Jan 16, 2015 9:40 AM in response to NikD
    Level 7 (28,565 points)
    iPad
    Jan 16, 2015 9:40 AM in response to NikD

    I don't see that behavior at all.

     

    I turn off Personal Hotspot and attached devices can no longer see the Hotspot and connect to LTE or other WiFi if available.

     

    Are you sure of what you are reporting?

  • by Meg St._Clair,

    Meg St._Clair Meg St._Clair Jan 16, 2015 9:45 AM in response to NikD
    Level 9 (58,397 points)
    iPhone
    Jan 16, 2015 9:45 AM in response to NikD

    It's not a security hole at all. The only devices that can connect to your phone via the Instant Hotspot feature are other devices that are using your Apple ID and password. If you don't want those devices accessing your phone, change their Apple ID.

  • by Sparkleberry,

    Sparkleberry Sparkleberry Jan 16, 2015 9:50 AM in response to JimHdk
    Level 4 (3,110 points)
    Notebooks
    Jan 16, 2015 9:50 AM in response to JimHdk

    NiKD

     

    I just tried this on my iPad to connect to my iPhone using Personal Hotspot.

     

    As JimHdk wrote above this is what happened:

     

    With iPhone Personal Hotspot on, I can see the connection via my iPad.

     

    when I shut off iPhone Personal Hotspot, I can still see the connection via my iPad - however, once I turn off iPad Wi-Fi and turn it on again, the iPhone network is lost to the iPad

     

    Same thing happens when I try to log on to the Personal Hotspot from Macbook via Wi-Fi.

     

    With iPhone Personal Hotspot on, I can see the connection via my Macbook.

     

    With iPhone Personal Hotspot off, I can see the connection via my Macbook but it drops off of the choices once I refresh it.

  • by Matt Clifton,

    Matt Clifton Matt Clifton Jan 16, 2015 9:55 AM in response to NikD
    Level 7 (29,905 points)
    Jan 16, 2015 9:55 AM in response to NikD

    To add another data point, here's my experience. I have an iPhone 6 with iOS 8.1.2.

     

    I briefly set up and tested Personal Hotspot to link my Macbook Air (10.10) with the phone. I then turned OFF Personal Hotspot on the phone.

     

    However, my MBA still shows my personal hotspot's name in the Wifi menu. When I try to join that network, nothing happens (it remains connected to my regular home wifi).

     

    My Macbook Pro next to me (also 10.10), which has never joined the hotspot, does not show it at all in the Wifi menu.

     

    So my guess is that it remains as an option to computers which have connected to it in the past, but it will not "activate" if it's turned off on the phone.

     

    Matt

  • by NikD,

    NikD NikD Jan 16, 2015 10:20 AM in response to NikD
    Level 1 (1 points)
    Jan 16, 2015 10:20 AM in response to NikD

    Thanks for the input. Here is some additional info.

     

    I've done a little more testing and things behave differently on 2 different iPods. Here's what I've got.

     

    • iPhone6 (Verizon)
    • iPod-A - iPod Touch 5g - kids apple ID A, age 12
    • iPod-B - iPod Touch 5g - kids apple ID B, age 10

     

    The 2 iPods belong to my kids who each have a separate ‘kids’ Apple ID. I have them on family share joined to my apple ID. One small difference between the 2 kids apple ID accounts is their ages. iPod-A is for a 12 year old and iPod-B is for a 10 year old. I wouldn’t think that makes a difference but just thought I’d mention it.

     

    I believe I have the 2 iPods set up the same way, specifically the apple ID related settings. I’ve compared the settings side-by-side and can see no differences which would account for the different behavior.

     

    I want to be able to control when the iPods are allowed to use Personal Hotspot and when they’re not. iPod-A behaves badly because it overrides my deactivation of Personal Hotspot. iPod-B behaves the way I want it to. So I’m trying to get iPod-A to behave as iPod-B does.

     

    Bluetooth and wi-fi is on on all the devices.

     

    When 'Personal Hotspot' is turned off on the iPhone:

    • iPod-A can still see it as a personal hotspot in its wi-fi networks list and allows me to choose it. Once I choose it, my iPhone automatically switches personal hotspot on. Even if I power off and power on this iPod, it still shows my hotspot (which is off) and successfully turns it on.
    • iPod-B doesn't see the personal hostspot on its wi-fi networks list

     

     

    If I change my Personal Hotspot password (and turn Personal Hotspot on):

    • iPod-A is able to join without being prompted for the password.
    • iPod-B is prompted to enter the new password.

     

     

     

    I also have a MacBook of my own which is on my Apple ID. It behaves like iPod-A in that it also sees the Personal Hotspot even if the hotspot is turned off and it is also able to turn it on. I can understand the Macbook being able to do this since it’s using the same Apple ID as the iPhone.

  • by Matt Clifton,

    Matt Clifton Matt Clifton Jan 16, 2015 10:39 AM in response to Matt Clifton
    Level 7 (29,905 points)
    Jan 16, 2015 10:39 AM in response to Matt Clifton

    Edit: I just re-tried this with my Macbook Air, and it actually did connect this time (overriding the "OFF" setting on the phone). And I guess my Pro is not showing the option because it's a 2010 model and doesn't have Continuity features.

     

    Matt

  • by JimHdk,

    JimHdk JimHdk Jan 16, 2015 10:53 AM in response to Matt Clifton
    Level 7 (28,565 points)
    iPad
    Jan 16, 2015 10:53 AM in response to Matt Clifton

    Matt Clifton wrote:

     

    Edit: I just re-tried this with my Macbook Air, and it actually did connect this time (overriding the "OFF" setting on the phone). And I guess my Pro is not showing the option because it's a 2010 model and doesn't have Continuity features.

     

    Matt

    Check the details of the connection. It may not be a valid connection (IP address is link-local, i.e., 169.254.X.X). This is not a valid connection.

     

    If the Hotspot is indeed reactivating this may be an iOS bug on the iPhone 6 and should be reported to Apple.

  • by NikD,

    NikD NikD Jan 16, 2015 11:08 AM in response to JimHdk
    Level 1 (1 points)
    Jan 16, 2015 11:08 AM in response to JimHdk

    I checked the IP on the iPod which causes the iPhone to switch Personal Hotspot on and it is a valid IP (172.20.x.x).

     

    I agree that devices which are sharing an Apple ID or are in a family share should be allowed to join an active hotspot. But I don't think those devices should be allowed to turn on a hotspot on another device. I think only the person physically holding the hotspot device should be allowed to turn it on or off. Maybe Apple disagrees.

  • by JimHdk,

    JimHdk JimHdk Jan 16, 2015 11:11 AM in response to NikD
    Level 7 (28,565 points)
    iPad
    Jan 16, 2015 11:11 AM in response to NikD

    That's weird. It doesn't happen when the hotspot is on an iPhone 5.

     

    When you turn the Hotspot Off it should stay Off.

     

    I would recommend that this be reported to Apple as a bug. See: http://www.apple.com/feedback/iphone.html

  • by NikD,

    NikD NikD Jan 16, 2015 11:21 AM in response to JimHdk
    Level 1 (1 points)
    Jan 16, 2015 11:21 AM in response to JimHdk

    Another data point.

     

    If personal hotspot is off and my iPhone is on the wi-fi settings screen, the hotspot doesn't appear on the iPod. As soon as I exit the wi-fi settings screen, the hotspot shows up on the iPod.

  • by NikD,

    NikD NikD Jan 16, 2015 11:31 AM in response to JimHdk
    Level 1 (1 points)
    Jan 16, 2015 11:31 AM in response to JimHdk

    Thanks. I have reported it to Apple.

  • by Jez Blaze,

    Jez Blaze Jez Blaze Feb 17, 2016 4:25 PM in response to NikD
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 17, 2016 4:25 PM in response to NikD

    This is exactly my issue.  I want to be able to allow my son to use my personal hotspot when I give permission, not to cut off his use of it entirely.  I want the final control on my phone as to when and how it is used, not his iPad control overriding my turning it off on my iPhone.

  • by Richard Patterson3,

    Richard Patterson3 Richard Patterson3 Jun 1, 2016 4:47 AM in response to NikD
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Jun 1, 2016 4:47 AM in response to NikD

    Good morning:

     

    I just discovered this behavior by accident this morning - and form the posts; It has been almost 18 months and no change.

     

    I had bluetooth on my iPad Pro and iPhone 6 (both on 9.3.2) and they were near each other.

     

    The iPad showed under Wi-Fi an available Personal Hotspot (my iPhone 6).  I checked my iPhone and it said 'Personal Hotspot Off'.

     

    I touched the hotspot on my iPad and it connected to my iPhone - overriding that Personal Hotspot is off and turned it on.

     

    This is not right.

     

    If I have something set to off, then its off.  In addition, I can't delete the Personal Hotspot from the iPad either.

     

    This seems to be a SERIOUS security issue.  If something is turned off, why can it be overridden?  This is non-intuitive and wide-open back-door.

     

    Maybe I'll go to Genius bar and see if they know what to do and make sure that Apple is aware of this security issue.

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