Apple's flagship device, the iPhone, has earned a reputation as a security-focused mobile device thanks to the company's dominance over the current ecosystem. However, no device is perfect when it comes to security. So, the question arises: can your iPhone be hacked? What are the risks out there?

What it means to hack your iPhone

“Hacking” is a general term that is often used incorrectly. It refers to illegal access to a computer network, in common terms. In the context of a device like an iPhone, hacking could refer to any of the following terms.

First of all, it refers to gaining access to someone's private information stored on an iPhone. As well as remotely monitoring or using an iPhone without the owner's knowledge or consent and changing the way an iPhone works using additional software or hardware.

Technically, someone who guesses your access code could be hacking. Installing monitoring software on your iPhone so someone can spy on your activities might also be something you expect a hacker to do.

There is also something called a jailbreak, which is installing custom firmware on a device. This is one of the more modern definitions of hacking, but it is also widely used. In this way, many people have hacked their own iPhones by installing a modified version of iOS to remove Apple's restrictions.

Malwares are perfect for hacking iPhone effectively

Malware is another problem that has affected the iPhone mobile before. Not only have apps on the App Store been classified as malware, but some "zero-day" vulnerabilities have also been found in Apple's web browser, Safari. This allowed hackers to install spyware that bypassed Apple's security measures and stole personal information.

Similarly, the jailbreak space has a lot of movement. This for the reason that it's kind of a constant game of cat and mouse between Apple and the modders. If you keep your device up to date, chances are you are somewhat “safe” against any hacking based on the jailbreak method.

However, this is not a reason for you to let your guard down. Hacking groups, governments, and law enforcement agencies are interested in finding ways around Apple's protections. Any of these entities could discover a breakthrough at any time and not notify Apple or users in general.

Your iPhone cannot be used remotely

In this way, Apple does not allow anyone to remotely control an iPhone through remote access applications, such as TeamViewer. While the macOS operating system comes with a Virtual Network Computing (VNC) Server installed that allows you to control your Mac remotely if you enable it, iOS does not.

This means that you cannot control someone's iPhone without jailbreaking it first. There are VNC servers available for jailbroken iPhones that enable this functionality, but iOS alone does not or does not allow it.

The iOS system uses a very robust permissions system to give apps explicit access to particular services and information. When you first install a new app, you're often asked to give permission to location services or the iOS camera. Apps can't access this information without your explicit permission, literally.

There is no such thing as complete manipulation of the software

Similarly, there is no permission level available in iOS that grants full system access. Each application is protected, which means that the software is separated from the rest of the system in a secure environment called a "sandbox". This prevents potentially harmful apps from affecting the rest of the system, including limiting access to personal information and app data.

Now, you have to be careful about the permissions you grant to an app at all times. To give you an example, an application like Facebook wants to access your contacts, but this app does not require this for it to work.

Once you grant access to this information, the app can do whatever it wants with that data, including uploading it to a private server and storing it forever without you even noticing. This could violate Apple's developer and App Store agreement, but it's still technically possible for an app to do so.

Since it's normal to worry about attacks on your device from dangerous sources, you're probably more at risk of revealing your personal information to a “safe” app that just politely asked you. So check your iPhone app permissions routinely and always think twice before agreeing to an app's terms.

Possible flaws in your Apple ID and iCloud security

Your Apple ID, which is your iCloud account, is probably more susceptible to outside interference than your iPhone. Like any online account, your credentials could be obtained by many users.

You probably already have two-factor authentication (2FA) enabled on your Apple ID. Still, you might want to make sure you go to Settings – (Your Name) Password & Security on your iPhone. Tap the “Turn on two-factor authentication” option to set it up if it's not already enabled.

Now, every time you sign in to your Apple ID or iCloud account, you'll need to enter a code sent to your device or mobile number. This prevents someone from logging into your account even if they know your password.

However, even 2FA is susceptible to social engineering attacks. Social engineering has been used to transfer a mobile number from one SIM card to another. This could give a would-be hacker the final piece of the puzzle to your entire online life if they already know your master email password.

Likewise, this is not an attempt to scare you or make you paranoid. But this shows how anything can be hacked given enough time and ingenuity. You shouldn't worry too much about these things, but be aware of the risks and always stay alert.

Hacking Your iPhone: What About iPhone “Spy” Software?

One of the closest things to a trick to affect iPhone users is so-called spy software. These apps prey on paranoia and fear by enticing people to install monitoring software on mobile phones. These are marketed as a way to track someone else's iPhone activity.

These apps cannot work on stock iOS, so they require the device to be jailbroken first. This action opens up the iPhone to further tampering, security issues, and potential app compatibility issues as certain apps won't work on jailbroken devices.

Once the device is jailbroken and the monitoring service is installed, people can spy on individual mobiles from web control panels. This person will see every text message sent, the details of all calls made and received, and even new photos or videos taken with the camera.

Similarly, these apps will not work on the latest iPhones, including the XS, XR, 11, and the latest SE. And there is only one jailbreak available for some iOS 13 devices. This hack has fallen out of favor due to Apple making it difficult to jailbreak recent devices. So they pose little threat under the iOS 13 operating system.

However, this will not stay like this forever. With every major jailbreak development, these “companies” start trading again. Not only is spying on another person questionable and illegal. But jailbreaking someone's phone also exposes them to malware risk. It also voids any remaining warranty.

WiFi can be vulnerable and this allows hacking the iPhone

Regardless of the device you're using, unsecured wireless networks remain one of the biggest security threats to phones like the iPhone. Hackers can use man-in-the-middle attacks to set up fake, unsecured wireless networks to capture packet traffic.

By analyzing this traffic, known as packet sniffing, a hacker could see what information he is sending and receiving. If this information is not encrypted, he could be extracting passwords, login credentials, and other sensitive information.

So you should be smart to avoid using unsecured wireless networks and keep this in mind whenever you use a public network. For added peace of mind, you can encrypt your iPhone traffic with a VPN so no one can hack your iPhone.