We store an impressive amount of personal information on our iPhones: from health data and personal communications to invaluable photographic memories. Therefore, it is crucial to ensure that this information remains private and under our exclusive control.
iPhones are known for their robust security and being virtually immune to any attack, but still, as with any piece of technology, there are methods through which third parties could spy on our activity. Fortunately, we have the ability to quickly identify and neutralize these threats.
Probably, the first thing that comes to mind when we talk about spying on the iPhone is some software like Pegasus. The truth is, however, that these sophisticated attacks, just because of their price, are extremely rare. They are targeted attacks at major political figures and people whose positions put them in the spotlight of a type of espionage that our iPhone is not the target of.
How to detect spy apps on our iPhone
Having said that, there is still a chance that, without realizing it, we install applications or configurations that compromise our privacy. Here there are two possibilities: we might have installed some app of dubious origin, or the potential espionage comes from a profile. In the first case, detecting any irregularity and remedying it is as easy as following these steps:
- Open the Settings app on our iPhone or iPad.
- Enter Privacy and Security.
- Enter Contacts, Calendars, Camera, Photos, etc., and review which apps have access.
- Simply deactivate those that should not have access to prevent them from continuing to access our data. If we find an app that we do not recognize, it is safest to completely remove it from our device.
How to detect profiles spying on our data
Configuration profiles pose a significantly greater risk than apps, as they can, for example, redirect all the traffic from our iPhone through a compromised VPN, exposing our passwords and personal data. It is crucial that we never install a configuration profile from sources that are not trustworthy and without a thorough verification of what and why we are installing.
Reviewing which profiles are installed and removing those we consider suspicious is as easy as following these steps:
- Open the Settings app on our iPhone or iPad.
- Enter General.
- Tap on VPN and Device Management.
- Under the title "Configuration Profiles," review the list.
- Tap on any profile we find suspicious and then choose Remove Profile.
Then, it is best to restart the device to complete the profile removal. If we are unsure of the purpose of an installed profile, it is best to remove it immediately. Although their use is uncommon outside of the corporate environment, caution in this field is of vital importance.
With just these two checks, we can significantly minimize the risk of being spied on through our iPhone and reduce it to practically zero. In this sense, it is vitally important to always be aware of what and where we install applications, the emails, messages, and links we receive, and any other material from unverified sources. When in doubt, it is better to stop and reflect, and if necessary, seek advice. The security of our personal information, to a great extent, is in our hands.
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