thebighere

Q: iphone 6 being remotely controlled?

Hi,

 

I have worked in tech for years, so I have some experience with IT/networks/security.  Not really mac, but still, my google-foo is usually pretty strong.

 

In this case, I am stumped.

 

My iphone 6 was acting up about a week ago,  Specifically, I would do something in an app, and 3 other things would happen, like the phone was haunted.

 

So I figured it was some water or dirt in my case.  I removed the case and same thing.

 

So I searched for an answer.  Everyone says a phone cannot be controlled unless someone had physical access to it.  This is extremely unlikely as it is always in my pocket or my hand or beside me.

 

Then I see that people think it could be the power cable.  I tried with other/no power cable, and same results.

 

This doesn't ever happen on my home wireless, only with cellular.

 

Tonight I pulled up my browser in the store to look something up, and watched the hacker type in my browser, then go to private browsing, then try to go to amazon.

 

Very freaky.  I changed my icloud password, with cellular off, and same thing was happening next day.

 

So is my only option factory reset?  New icloud account? Will that do it?

 

Thanks

iPhone 6

Posted on Nov 23, 2015 8:42 PM

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Q: iphone 6 being remotely controlled?

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  • by sberman,

    sberman sberman Nov 23, 2015 9:19 PM in response to thebighere
    Level 8 (40,034 points)
    Nov 23, 2015 9:19 PM in response to thebighere

    Has your iPhone ever been jailbroken or otherwise hacked?  Has it run beta software?

     

    Unauthorized modification of iOS can cause security vulnerabilities, instability, shortened battery life, and other issu…

  • by thebighere,

    thebighere thebighere Nov 24, 2015 7:11 AM in response to sberman
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 24, 2015 7:11 AM in response to sberman

    No jailbreaking, I should have said that.

     

    No beta that I know of, I don't have a ton of apps, and all only from the app store.

  • by Phil0124,

    Phil0124 Phil0124 Nov 24, 2015 7:21 AM in response to thebighere
    Level 7 (27,558 points)
    iPhone
    Nov 24, 2015 7:21 AM in response to thebighere

    The possibility of being hacked is so remote it might as well be impossible..Also what kind of hacker would simply alert the target of their presence by accessing websites in clear view? What purpose would it have served to access Amazon in plain view?

     

    It sounds like an issue with the touch screen digitizer. Issues like this cause the screen to produce input randomly. It just so happens that the issue is generating actions that look like someone is controlling it.

     

    Its fairly common occurrence.

     

    If you have not done so, try resetting the iPhone by holding down the home and power/sleep buttons for 10 to 15 seconds or until the Apple logo shows up.

     

    Let the iPhone reboot and test.

     

    If it continues to happen, you might want to take it into an Apple Store for a diagnostic. If its still under warranty, they will repair or replace it for free.

  • by thebighere,

    thebighere thebighere Nov 24, 2015 7:24 AM in response to Phil0124
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 24, 2015 7:24 AM in response to Phil0124

    Thanks, I will do that.

     

    I'd much rather it be something hardware.

     

    What makes me doubt that is that when I turned off the cellular, the browser acted normal again immediately.

     

    Also, when I am on my home wifi, the wierdness never happens.

     

    That's what makes me doubt a hardware issue,unless it is somehow triggered by cellular, which doesn't make logical sense to me.

     

    But I'm not an iphone tech.

  • by KiltedTim,

    KiltedTim KiltedTim Nov 24, 2015 7:42 AM in response to thebighere
    Level 9 (55,751 points)
    Mac OS X
    Nov 24, 2015 7:42 AM in response to thebighere

    What you describe is a symptom of a failing touch-screen.

     

    Please clarify "removed the case". If you mean you took off whatever 3rd party case you had the phone in, make an appointment at the genius bar and have the phone checked.

     

    If you mean you physically opened the casing on the phone itself, go buy a new phone. Apple won't touch that one now.

  • by thebighere,

    thebighere thebighere Nov 24, 2015 8:20 AM in response to KiltedTim
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 24, 2015 8:20 AM in response to KiltedTim

    I mean a third-party outer shell.

     

    I will make an appointment, but to me, hardware failing would be intermittent, not something that stops immediately after I turn off cellular and does not repeat again until I turn on cellular the next day.

     

    You know what I mean?

  • by Phil0124,

    Phil0124 Phil0124 Nov 24, 2015 8:22 AM in response to thebighere
    Level 7 (27,558 points)
    iPhone
    Nov 24, 2015 8:22 AM in response to thebighere

    If there was any moisture, the cellular antenna may be interfering with the screen now due to a possible short. If the reboot does not help, I would take it to an Apple store to get checked out.

     

    10 to 1, its a hardware issue.