Viruses are still prevalent in today’s age, infecting Windows and Android machines alike. In
the case of the iPhone, not so much. IPhones have little to no risk of getting viruses due to the way their development process prior to hitting the shelves.
All iPhones are manufactured with security in mind, which lessens the risk of your device getting infected. The minimal presence of viruses does not mean that your phone can’t get hit with a virus. This is something you will need to keep in mind at all times.
Check to see if your iPhone Has Been Infected
There are several ways for devices to become infected with viruses. Browsing shady
websites, downloading suspicious apps, and opening strange emails from entities you don’t
know are the most common ways for malicious software to be installed on your machine.
Smartphones are no different from PCs, as they are essentially portable computers that do
much of what your home and office computers can do within a smaller frame.
Any applications sold through the Apple store go through a rigorous vetting process before
they are uploaded online. That being said, there are still steps that you will need to take in
order to protect yourself from viruses.
You may notice that your phone is performing slower than normal or is doing things that it
normally shouldn’t do (such as ads prompting you to download suspicious software), it may
have been infected with a virus. Viruses can still enter the iPhone by downloading apps that
are not supported through the Apple store. In the event that your iPhone does get infected,
here are several actions you can take to protect yourself:
Ways to Take to Keep Your iPhone Protected from Viruses
1. Download and Install a VPN
VPNs stands virtual private networks. What they do is that they create an encrypted tunnel
between your device and the network you’re trying to connect to through the use of an
encryption device or server with a VPN application. Customers often use the latter since
encryption devices are designed based on communications security specifications by the
National Security Agency.
VPNs keep your internet activities private and prevent outside entities from snooping into
your device to peek into your data. Some antivirus and VPN companies provide solutions to
keep their customers protected from external threats. They are top-tier companies that
provide cyber have serviced customers around the world for decades.
Anti-virus solutions do not always work because they conflict with on-board software built
into the iPhone. Hence, these same companies have taken great lengths to couple VPNs in
addition to other essential services to protect your Apple-made electronics from viruses and
other network attacks.
Here are some VPNs that works on iPhone:
– Symantec
– McAfee
– Panda
– Bitdefender
Some of the vendors offer demo options for you. Research them and find out which one best suits you and your needs when it comes to the iPhone.
2. Don’t Jailbreak Your Phone
Jailbreaking is a term coined for modifying your iPhone in such a way to enable it to accept
apps that are able to be installed outside the purview of the Apple Store. There are many
reasons why people do it, such as being able to use apps that are not supported through the store or being able to use certain apps for free.
While the temptation is strong to jailbreak, it is highly not recommended. Not only do you
void your warranty doing so, you also run the risk of your iPhone catching a virus.
3. Power Down/Restart
Powering down your iPhone may be able to help clear give you an idea of whether a virus
has infected it or not. Tap and hold the power button on your phone until the slider for ‘Slide to Power Off’ displays. Slide it until the phone powers down and the screen will blank out with nothing displayed. X-series iPhones need to have the power button and volume button held down at the same time before it powers off.
Restarting your phone is slightly different. Instead, you press and hold the power button for approximately 10 seconds. Once that’s done, the Apple logo should show, and at that point you can release it. Once the passcode entry screen shows, enter the passcode to unlock it.
4. Back Up Your Data Regularly
Every now and then you’re going to need to do backups of your data of iPhone. Photos, contacts, and
other data can be backed up through the iCloud, iTunes or other storage mediums such as
external hard drives to protect and preserve your most sensitive information. You can
remove a virus by reloading a fresh backup into your phone.
If that doesn’t work, use the second most recent backup. The process repeats until your
phone no longer has the symptoms of a virus.
5. Restoring your iPhone
If none of your backups work, you have the option of wiping your iPhone as a last resort. Do this by tapping on ‘Settings’, then on to the ‘General and Reset’ options. You should see
‘Erase All Contents and Settings’.
You will need to input your passcode to confirm that you want to proceed with the wipe.
Understanding that this is essentially resetting your iPhone at its factory settings, and you
will have to manually re-input your contacts and other data that you had before the phone
got infected with the virus.
6. Update your iOS
IOS is the heart and soul of your iPhone. It is essentially the “brain” of the phone that allows you to run the phone itself and host the applications and processes that are required to run it. In a similar vein to Microsoft, Apple releases updates regularly to keep Mac and iPhone devices up-to-date.
You will need to make sure that you enable and download updates to your phone regularly
so that it remains secure.
Apple’s products are generally secure and made with a security-minded focus. By the end of the day, their devices are just like any other computer sold on the market and can be infected by viruses and other nasty malware. Taking the measures described in the previous steps will help ensure your information is secure in the long run.