How can I tell if my phone has been hacked?

k5yf wrote:

Recently there was a "bloom" of activity in device "port-outs." In this scenario your device is "ported out" (hijacked) using only the assigned number of the phone. This allowed those in control of your device complete access to your cloud storage and much more.

Again, no. Porting-out is just the assignment or movement of a phone number. The activity of port-outs you refer to, did happen, but after the number was ported, which just means it was assigned to a different sim card, the perpetrators could then use it to try to get access to other services by posing as the victim through their number, but it requires much more work to actually access things like iCloud.

Just getting a number ported does no in any way shape or form, immediately grant anyone access to "iCloud and much more". This of course is also in no way shape or form the hacking of an iPhone. Getting a number ported is not hacking an iPhone at all. And since porting requires the actual assistance of the cell carrier anything you do on your device is largely irrelevant.

It merely lets the perpetrator have access to the number they "ported".

Getting into someone's iCloud would take much more work. beyond having a number. Apple is always increasing security measures to protect iCloud, and people's data there. If you just wander around the forums you can find tons of posts about people trying to access an iCloud account, and its definitely not easy, even when you have the device.

There's easier ways to access someone's iCloud account than through port outs if that's the end goal, and again neither involve the actual remote hacking of an iPhone.

Again, this is just fear mongering.

And if we are just flashing credentials, I've been in IT security and information protection services for over 20 years.

Remotely accessing and controlling a device which would be what "hacking and iPhone" would need to be, is not yet trivial to do, and requires a lot of work, time, equipment and knowledge to actually accomplish.

While security of one's device is something that needs to be done sure. Telling people their entire device is out there for the world to see at a flick of a button is not even remotely true. There are many ways to get to people's information that does not require hacking a device.

iOS is still considered by the entire IT security community as one of the most secure operating systems out there. It's not all fine, securing your devices and guarding against potential scams is always recommended, but assuming or telling people their iPhone is going to get hacked anywhere you go, in 2 seconds; that is just ludicrous and ridiculous.