Are iPhones really virus-proof?

Macworld

Has your iPhone slowed down and stopped acting the way you expect? Is your calendar suddenly full of spam appointments? Have you heard about the latest security hole in iOS? Or did you see a social media post indicating that your data isn’t safe? If you answered yes to any of those questions you will no doubt be asking the question: can iPhones get viruses?

The good news is that Apple products like the iPhone are regarded as being safer from threats than devices from other manufacturers. This is partly because Apple has what is described as a “walled garden” – which means iOS software can only be downloaded from the iOS App Store after being vetted by Apple. However, your iPhone is only as safe as you make it and the frequent security updates from Apple should clarify that your iPhone isn’t entirely safe from attack. In this article, we’ll look at whether iPhones can get viruses and what you can do to stay safe from threats.

Can iPhones get viruses?

Let’s be straight, every electronic device running software is capable of being infected by a virus. The real question is how likely it is to happen. iOS is a highly resistant system, with very few successful virus penetrations being reported including the relatively recent Pegasus and Reign spyware attacks, and AdThief, which affected a number of jailbroken iPhones in 2014.

In June 2023 security firm Kaspersky reported an attack, with dozens of Kaspersky employees affected. In this case, the attacker was able to penetrate the iPhones defenses via an invisible iMessage that could gather and transmit sensitive information such as audio recordings, photos, geolocation and more. The company noted that this was limited to older versions of iOS, with iOS 16.2 being the last to show the vulnerability.

It should be noted that none of these attacks were directed at typical iPhone users.

The low number of malware threats for iPhone users is predominantly due to Apple’s closed-garden approach that we mentioned above. You can only install software that’s been certified by the company and distributed through the App Store. This gives Apple a high level of security and prevents iPhone users from downloading software from random sites and then exposing their systems to a potentially infected program. 

The company is so focused on preventing any cracks appearing in its security, that it even defied the FBI and the British government when both wanted to be able to access locked devices or have back-doors built into iOS to monitor encrypted communications. This was a high-risk move by Apple, but in both cases it seems to have prevailed, arguing that any vulnerabilities that were baked into the system would make devices less secure. 

Users who jailbreak their iPhones aren’t protected. Jailbreaking opens up iOS so that modifications can be done and software installed from sources other than the App Store. It’s mainly fallen out of favor now, as Apple has worked hard to make jailbreaking difficult. Unless you purposely jailbroke your iPhone, or a jailbroken iPhone was given to you, it is unlikely that your iPhone is vulnerable in that way.

iPhones are very safe, with research showing that there are fewer viruses created for iOS than for Android. That’s not to say that Android is unsafe, just that it has to fight off more attacks due to the relatively open nature of the platform. 

Are iPhone virus warnings real?

Foundry

If you have seen a pop-up message warning that you have a virus on your iPhone this is likely to be a scam. There is no virus on your iPhone.

If you see such a warning it is important not to click on anything other than close it (and beware that the X may not actually be a close button!) Do not respond to the alert as it is a phishing attempt.

If you are in Safari our recommendation is that you tap on the new tab icon at the bottom right of the screen, and then tap on the x in the top right corner of that tab to close it. You should also clear your cookies by going to Settings > Safari > Clear History and Website Data.

To avoid this happening again you might want to turn on Fraudulent Website Warning and Block Pop-ups, also in Settings > Safari.

What about my Calendar spam? And is my data being leaked by the Journal app?

If you have been confronted by notifications about fake appointments, or read a social media post suggesting that your data isn’t safe, it’s understandable that you will be concerned.

Taking the first example, Calendar spam is a common issue that many have encountered. Usually what’s happened is someone has clicked on a message or email that has subscribed them to a calendar. It’s not a virus because it won’t spread from your iPhone to other people’s devices. Luckily it is easy to stop and delete iPhone Calendar spam just by unsubscribing to the spammy calendar. Caution when clicking on emails and messages is to be advised, of course.

Social Media posts about iPhone viruses or security issues should be taken with a pinch of salt. For example, scary posts on Facebook and TikTok claimed Apple’s Journal app (that debuted in iOS 17) was sharing private information with strangers. This turned out to be a misunderstanding of one of the helpful features in the app that served as a prompt for journaling ideas related to events or get-togethers that you or close friends may have attended.

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Are iPhones safe?

Viruses are rare, as we have established, and where they have emerged they haven’t targetted typical iPhone users. But this doesn’t mean you should not exercise caution.

Viruses are not the only ways that hackers and criminals can gain access to your data. One of the most efficient ways of doing this is through things like phishing emails and messages that pressure you to click on links to resolve some emergency. 

You’ve probably seen these in the form of a friend saying they’re stuck overseas and need a quick transfer of money to get them out of a situation, or a warning from your bank that your account is about to be immediately closed due to some suspicious activity. 

Clicking these links can open up a world of trouble, usually by taking you to fake sites that ask you to log in and thus unknowingly giving away your account details to thieves. 

Another danger is fake networks that monitor your data as it travels across the servers. These are often found in airports, coffee shops or other places where you’d expect to find public Wi-Fi. Hackers set these up, usually with names that sound like what you’d expect to find in that location. But rather than send your information straight to the destination site it’s siphoned off. As a result, your data is stolen by this ‘man-in-the-middle’ attack. 

One way to avoid this is by using a VPN when you’re away from Wi-Fi networks that you can trust. These provide data encryption to make it difficult for anyone to see your information. You can read more about this in our how to use a VPN on iPhone guide. Also read: Are VPNs safe to use on an iPhone.

Apple has also included a wide range of ways to keep your device secure and it’s well worth using all of them to prevent anyone gaining access to your data. These include recommending strong passwords – or even better using PassKeys, and two-factor authentication. You can read up on more advice that Apple recommends when it comes to using the built-in iPhone security features. 

Apple is also reasonably quick to respond to security flaws when they are discovered, with security updates being pushed out to iPhones in a way that involves minimal input from users. If you want to make sure such updates happen immediately go to Settings > General > Software Update > Automatic Updates and make sure that Security Responses & System Files are selected. Alternatively don’t delay when a security update needs to be installed.

So, while your iPhone is usually safe from viruses, it means that attacks are more often directed at the user with the aim to fool you into giving away data. With this in mind, be careful: If a friend messages you that they are in trouble, ring them before you blindly send money. If the bank is about to close your account, find the officially listed number for it and call them rather than trust the information given in an urgent message. 

Be wise. Take your time. Stay safe. 

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