Too many people operate under the mistaken assumption that there’s some kind of protective force field around their mobile device, and that they’ll never deal with a problem like a hacked iPhone. Maybe it’s some combination of the closed nature of Apple’s ecosystem, combined with the robust protections afforded by iOS. Whatever the reason, you run into Apple users all the time who assume that Android devices are virus-riddled magnets for all kinds of security threats. While Apple products like iPhones and iPads that run iOS and iPadOS are somehow immaculate and impenetrable.
The bottom line, of course, is that it’s hard, but not impossible to hack an iPhone. Apple can certainly do a great job of offering you an impressively secure device. But it’s all for naught if you download terrible apps and engage in atrocious personal security practices online. The iPhone maker, in other words, can’t save you from yourself.
iVerify — download this iPhone app right now
This brings us to an app that you definitely need to know about. Especially if you don’t ever want to encounter the nightmare of seeing your iPhone hacked.
iVerify, which costs $2.99, currently has a 4.7 rating on the App Store (based on some 1,400 user ratings). It bills itself as a “personal security toolkit.” One that, according to the app makers, lets users “manage the security of your iOS device and detect modifications to your smartphone. iVerify (also) makes it easy to manage the security of your accounts and online presence with simple instructional guides.”
iVerify has a version for both individuals as well as organizations. And among the many useful benefits that the app provides are “Protection Guides.” These are summaries and instructions that teach you how to add more security layers to your device. Also important to know: The version of iVerify for organizations costs $3/user/month after an initial seven-day trial period.
A version of iVerify for Android devices is also reportedly coming soon.
Read how we refurbished iVerify's look, feel, and usabilityhttps://t.co/wkQ0VjGtTP pic.twitter.com/0YHr3ZypZu
— Trail of Bits (@trailofbits) April 16, 2021
iPhone hacked? Yes, it can happen
An app like this is so important to know about. Because iPhone bugs and security threats are much more common than the average user might think.
2021 has already seen a flurry of news related to iPhone security and the disclosure of threats by Apple. Back in January, for example, Apple pushed out iOS 14.4 and iPadOS 14.4 following news that a researcher had found a way for attackers to remotely hack some iPhones and iPads.
Apple is also increasing working to batten down the hatches regarding iMessage security. Until recently, that app has been a popular attack vector for security threats, such as zero-click attacks. “iMessage is a built-in service on every iPhone, so it’s a huge target for sophisticated hackers,” Johns Hopkins cryptographer Matthew Green told Wired earlier this year. “It also has a ton of bells and whistles. And every single one of those features is a new opportunity for hackers to find bugs that let them take control of your phone.”
