With so much of our lives now stored on our iPhones, it’s natural to be concerned about their security. Can iPhones get hacked? The short answer is yes. iPhones can be vulnerable to malware, malicious websites, and phishing scams. However, Apple has taken a number of measures to ensure that iPhones are secure and protect users from malicious attacks. In this article, we’ll discuss what you need to know about iPhone security, the risks associated with having an iPhone, and what you can do to protect yourself. Whether you’re new to the iPhone or a long-time user, it’s important to stay informed and take the necessary steps to keep your device safe.
Can iPhones Get Hacked?
Yes, iPhones can get hacked. There are several ways your iPhone can get hacked, and they all involve a weakness in your security settings or the software running on your device.
What You Need To Know About iPhone Security
With so many security threats online, it’s important to stay informed about the best practices for staying secure. While Apple has worked hard to create one of the most secure operating systems available, there are still risks associated with having an iPhone, and it’s up to you to keep your device as safe as possible.
The Risks Associated With Having An iPhone
- “iMessage” is a messaging service that is exclusive to Apple devices and can get hacked.
- The default iPhone email app is “Mail”. This can be disabled and replaced with Gmail or any other third-party email client.
- The default browser on an iPhone is Safari, which can be replaced with other browsers like Chrome or Firefox, but this requires jailbreaking the device to make these changes.
- The iOS platform (operating system) on iPhones can be jailbroken to disable apps that come pre-installed on the phone, like Stocks and Weather, but it also allows users to download apps from sources other than the App Store; this process also disables auto-updates of apps from the App Store.
- Jailbreaking also allows users to install 3rd party keyboards as well as themes and tweaks/mods to customize their phone’s look & feel without having to wait for an update from Apple’s official App Store which takes months in some cases (Cydia Appstore).
- Jailbreaking allows users to change their carrier logo using a custom theme/mod called “CarrierSettings”. This only works if you have a SIM card inserted in your phone, however (not an eSIM)
- Jailbreaking allows users to install various apps that are not available in the App Store, such as “Cydia” (an app store for jailbroken devices), emulators, and other 3rd party apps that Apple doesn’t approve of like Snapchat or WhatsApp.
- Jailbreaking allows users to use their iPhones as a hotspot. This is also possible without jailbreaking but it requires you to pay for an “unlimited data” plan from your carrier and tethering is disabled by default on iPhones with carrier service plans.
- Jailbreaking also allows users to install custom fonts and change their font color, size & style using a variety of themes/mods like “Chameleon”.
- Jailbreaking can sometimes help with battery life issues or other bugs that come pre-installed on devices from Apple but are not fixed in recent updates (this does not apply to all bugs, however).
- Jailbreaking allows users to install a variety of tweaks/mods that customize their phone’s look & feel, add new functions and features, or change the way the phone works completely. For example:
– Activator allows you to use gestures to trigger different actions on your iPhone like opening an app, turning on/off wifi or Bluetooth, taking screenshots, and many other things. This is only possible with jailbreaking.
– Anemone allows you to theme your phone with a huge amount of custom themes created by other users as well as using themes built into Anemone itself (some paid). This is only possible with jailbreaking.
– Cydia Substrate allows you to install tweaks that developers create using a programming language called “Objective-C”. Some of these tweaks can add new features or change the way your phone works completely. This is only possible with jailbreaking.
- Jailbreaking also allows users to install Xcode on their Mac computers and develop their own apps for iOS (iPhone & iPad). This requires learning how to program in Objective-C however which is not easy for beginners like me but it is still very cool nonetheless!
- Users can also install “tweaks” that help with battery life, speed up animations, change the way apps open, change the way multitasking works, and more.
- Finally, jailbreaking allows users to unlock their iPhone’s true potential. This includes using your iPhone as a computer with an app called “Cydia Impactor” on a Mac or PC to sideload apps onto your iPhone without having to pay for them in the App Store (see video below).
- Jailbreaking also allows users to customize their iPhones much more than Apple allows them to out of the box. This can range from simple things like changing your carrier logo when you turn on/off wifi or Bluetooth in Control Center (shown below) and adding custom carrier text for each of your installed carriers (also shown below).
- You can also customize your home screen by adding custom icons and changing how icons are arranged on the screen when you have widgets installed (like my “Carrot Weather” & “Gmail” widgets shown below), adding custom wallpapers from other sources besides Apple’s default wallpaper selection, and even adding multiple pages of icons instead of just one page as a shortcut to all of your favorite apps like I do with my second home screen page shown below.
How To Protect Yourself And Your iPhone
1. Download the Latest Version Of iOS
Always update your iPhone to the latest version of iOS. Apple releases security updates for iOS throughout the year, and these updates are designed to patch small issues before they become major problems. You can check for updates by going to Settings > General > Software Update.
2. Enable Two-Factor Authentication
Two-factor authentication (2FA) is a security feature that requires you to log in with your password and provide an additional piece of information. You can set up 2FA on your Apple devices by going to Settings > iCloud > Password & Security.
3. Use Strong Passwords
Passwords are vital when it comes to keeping your iPhone secure, and strong passwords are even more important. Your password should be at least eight characters long and include both numbers and letters. Avoid using common words or phrases, birthdays, names, or phone numbers because this information is easily obtained online or through social media accounts like Facebook and Twitter.
4. Install Anti-Virus Apps on Your Device
There are several anti-virus apps available in the App Store that can help you protect against malware threats on your iPhone or iPad. Look for ones that have a good rating and that are frequently updated to help ensure that they’re keeping up with the latest threats. Two recommended apps are Avast Mobile Security and Zemana Mobile Antivirus.
5. Enable Location Services
When you enable location services, your iPhone will be able to pinpoint your exact location. If your iPhone is stolen, you can use this feature to locate it on a map. You can enable this feature in Settings > Privacy > Location Services.
6. Set a Passcode Lock
Your iPhone comes with a passcode feature that allows you to lock your device. This feature uses a six-digit code and is the first line of defense against malicious attacks. You can set up a passcode by going to Settings > General > Passcode Lock.
7. Turn off Siri
Siri is one of the most convenient features on your iPhone, but it also poses one of the biggest security risks because it’s always listening and ready to respond when you say “Hey Siri.” To reduce the risk of someone using Siri without your knowledge, turn off this feature by going to Settings > Siri & Search and enabling “Allow ‘Hey Siri'”.
8. Be Mindful of What You Share on Social Media
Social media accounts like Facebook and Twitter can be a valuable tool for keeping in touch with friends and family. Still, they can also be a vulnerability when it comes to security. By sharing too much information on social media, you could potentially put yourself at risk if someone gains access to your account and shares private news on your behalf.
9. Enable Two-Factor Authentication for Your Apple ID
Two-factor authentication is an added layer of security that requires you to provide two pieces of information when logging in to your Apple ID. This feature can be enabled by going to Settings > iCloud > Password & Security > 2-Step Verification.
Conclusion
Protecting your iPhone from cyber threats is an important part of staying secure. Whether you’re new to the iPhone or a long-time user, it’s important to stay informed and take the necessary steps to keep your device safe. With so many cyber threats online, it’s important to stay informed about the best practices for staying secure.
