iMessage security breach

DKDMac69 · Nov 11, 2011

So, this is the situation. Last night my sister and I were texting each other. When all of the sudden a message (inappropriate) was sent from what appeared to be from her iPhone. At first she thought is was from me, but I had immediately texted her back with a "?". She texted "who is this?" and again the "unknown /rogue" texter replied "hahahaha...suck my #@!!'s" I replied. "I will find you..." the rouge testing stopped...(temporarily)
We immediately called both AT&T tech services and Apple Care Technical Services. Apple told my sister that someone accessed her Apple ID account information and that she should change her Apple ID account info by changing her email address (Apple ID) and password. They assured that this should fix this problem. Also to turn off iMessage (which can be used to communicate over WiFi). Well, guess what...this morning the "rogue texter" texted an inappropriate message to my neices baby sitter, from my sister's account. This is very disturbing. Any one out there have or heard of the same or something similar? Any recommendations as to how to fix this or track who has "hacked" into this account? Thoughts???

Hf44 · Nov 11, 2011

if she is connected to a wireless router, make sure its secure, and has a password

DKDMac69 · Nov 11, 2011

continued....

DKDMac69 said:
So, this is the situation. Last night my sister and I were texting each other. When all of the sudden a message (inappropriate) was sent from what appeared to be from her iPhone. At first she thought is was from me, but I had immediately texted her back with a "?". She texted "who is this?" and again the "unknown /rogue" texter replied "hahahaha...suck my #@!!'s" I replied. "I will find you..." the rouge testing stopped...(temporarily)
We immediately called both AT&T tech services and Apple Care Technical Services. Apple told my sister that someone accessed her Apple ID account information and that she should change her Apple ID account info by changing her email address (Apple ID) and password. They assured that this should fix this problem. Also to turn off iMessage (which can be used to communicate over WiFi). Well, guess what...this morning the "rogue texter" texted an inappropriate message to my neices baby sitter, from my sister's account. This is very disturbing. Any one out there have or heard of the same or something similar? Any recommendations as to how to fix this or track who has "hacked" into this account? Thoughts???

NOTE: So, to add to this... the texts that I receive from her are in a blue bubble, from my POV, it looked as if she was texting also from her POV it was in a clear bubble as if she sent the message from her iPhone 4S (we both have iPhone 4S's).

----------

Hf44 said:
if she is connected to a wireless router, make sure its secure, and has a password

Hey, Thanks for the tip, however...When we were texting we were both in locations w/out our wifi on. Also, we both have very secure wireless setup with very cryptic passwords at our homes.

One other thing the reason why she recently purchased the 4S is because she lost her iPhone 3GS a couple days ago. This could explain how this rogue texter was able to iMessage with her iPhone. But, he/she was able to iMessage this morning after my sister changed her Apple ID and password.

OneMike · Nov 11, 2011

I'm leaning towards the 3GS. Are the iMessages tied to phone number or email?

dotme · Nov 11, 2011

Pay attention to where the text came from. Was it from a Phone Number, or an AppleID/Email?

If unsure, disassociate the sender's AppleID from Phone Number. For example, on the phone that's receiving these messages, split the sender (your sister's) contact out. Sister iPhone = one contact, with only her phone number. Sister AppleID = separate contact, with only her AppleID info.

Then see which one the sender is really using when the next message comes in. My money's on the phone number, NOT the AppleID.

I've seen a few threads like this one. Someone sells their old iPhone, either forgetting to wipe it first, or leaving the SIM in it (even though the SIM is no longer activated) and this sort of thing follows...

EDIT: - Saw your additional info. Yep, I'm with OneMike. It's the 3GS.

DKDMac69 · Nov 11, 2011

OneMike said:
I'm leaning towards the 3GS. Are the iMessages tied to phone number or email?

We are thinking phone number, but could be email b/c the Apple ID is an email address. So whomever hacked her iPhone /iMessage/ computer has both phone number and email.

Thank you OneMike.

dotme · Nov 11, 2011

I'll just add that this is happening way too much, and it's really on Apple to fix it.

It's their system that routes iMessages, and to not have a way to cancel/block a device that is stolen from reading/sending iMessages from the phone number it was using before the theft is just ridiculous.

Your sister should try a remote wipe on the stolen phone. If the issue continues, I'd call Apple and raise a huge stink over it. Not tech support, but Apple customer relations.

She could always change her phone number, but nobody should have to go though the hassles of changing their phone number due to a misbehaving app.

I'm not even convinced a remote wipe would fix this. It depends on if the phone can still somehow get the original phone number off the deactivated SIM.

Eventually, someone at a security firm will investigate and then we'll know.

DKDMac69 · Nov 11, 2011

dotme said:
I'll just add that this is happening way too much, and it's really on Apple to fix it.

It's their system that routes iMessages, and to not have a way to cancel/block a device that is stolen from reading/sending iMessages from the phone number it was using before the theft is just ridiculous.

Your sister should try a remote wipe on the stolen phone. If the issue continues, I'd call Apple and raise a huge stink over it. Not tech support, but Apple customer relations.

She could always change her phone number, but nobody should have to go though the hassles of changing their phone number due to a misbehaving app.

I'm not even convinced a remote wipe would fix this. It depends on if the phone can still somehow get the original phone number off the deactivated SIM.

Eventually, someone at a security firm will investigate and then we'll know.

Hey Thanks alot. We did stress that they [Apple] to further investigate, they told us it was most likely a breach on her home computer (security). But, said that if their suggested "fix" doesn't work, then they'd escallate this case to their Sr Mgmt *rolling-eyes...* Thanks again...really appreciate your help!

Jordan921 · Nov 11, 2011

Hope Apple makes a better effort to try to fix this.

DKDMac69 · Nov 11, 2011

Jordan921 said:
Hope Apple makes a better effort to try to fix this.

Me too!

rowley · Nov 11, 2011

hold on - changing the appleid and password makes a new account - the old account still exists, so anyone using the old account can still send messages to someone who they have already messaged, or alrady have their contacts.

apple need to delete the old account - making it invalid surely, or am I just getting it wrong here?

R>

VulchR · Nov 11, 2011

@OP: Perhaps you can use Find My iPhone to track down the 3GS. The longer the clown whose texting you from the 3GS stays online, the easier it will be track him/her down. Also, you should be able to do a remote wipe of the 3GS.

Mliii · Nov 11, 2011

DKDMac69 said:
So, this is the situation. Last night my sister and I were texting each other. When all of the sudden a message (inappropriate) was sent from what appeared to be from her iPhone. At first she thought is was from me, but I had immediately texted her back with a "?". She texted "who is this?" and again the "unknown /rogue" texter replied "hahahaha...suck my #@!!'s" I replied. "I will find you..." the rouge testing stopped...(temporarily)
We immediately called both AT&T tech services and Apple Care Technical Services. Apple told my sister that someone accessed her Apple ID account information and that she should change her Apple ID account info by changing her email address (Apple ID) and password. They assured that this should fix this problem. Also to turn off iMessage (which can be used to communicate over WiFi). Well, guess what...this morning the "rogue texter" texted an inappropriate message to my neices baby sitter, from my sister's account. This is very disturbing. Any one out there have or heard of the same or something similar? Any recommendations as to how to fix this or track who has "hacked" into this account? Thoughts???

I had a very similar situation- a rouge texter who sent messages to someone I was not even texting at the time. I didn't even have my phone on when it happened. I have seen a couple of other postings about similar situations, some of which have been blamed on re-sold iPhones, etc. None of that is my case.
I find this frightening and Apple/AT&T's attitude towards it TOTALLY frustrating and unacceptable. With no other thoughts, it strikes me that is an issue related to iMessage.

Ruby110 · Nov 11, 2011

You're not alone. See this thread for an explanation of what is happening. Unfortunately, it still doesn't look like there is a fix yet.

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1258734/

DKDMac69 · Nov 12, 2011

rowley said:
hold on - changing the appleid and password makes a new account - the old account still exists, so anyone using the old account can still send messages to someone who they have already messaged, or alrady have their contacts.

apple need to delete the old account - making it invalid surely, or am I just getting it wrong here?

R>

Hey Rowley, that's what I asked them. We are not opening a new "account" the account still remains, but changing the Apple ID and password should not allow the "rogue texter/hacker" access to her account, unless he's hacked her personal computer.

JZTech101 · Nov 13, 2011

Fake!

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1258734/ is a similar thread written 10 minutes later! Tell me how this works again?

Geckotek · Nov 13, 2011

JZTech101 said:
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1258734/ is a similar thread written 10 minutes later! Tell me how this works again?

So, because the guys posts his story, finds a similar one and posts in there as well, he's a fake? Tell me how that works again? Sorry, no logic in your statement.

dotme · Nov 13, 2011

JZTech101 said:
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1258734/ is a similar thread written 10 minutes later! Tell me how this works again?

You're "CEO" of TechCavern and you don't understand this thread? Really?

Imagine your iPhone is stolen. Snatched out of your hand at a train station, taken at knifepoint, or by some other means.

You remote wipe the device, then call the carrier and have them deactivate the SIM. You replace your phone, and move on.

Then you find out that the theif can still send and receive iMessages at your phone number, and you can't do anything about it. The stolen phone has a dead SIM, but your number is still on the SIM. Even if the phone is wiped, and set up as new, it can receive iMessages for the number on the SIM that's installed.

It seems to me that's what's going on in some cases - and if that's true, it's a big problem. No?

Matthew Yohe · Nov 13, 2011

The title here is a little alarmist. It's not an iMessage security breach, rather a single user's iTunes Account was compromised.

Rodimus Prime · Nov 13, 2011

Mliii said:
I had a very similar situation- a rouge texter who sent messages to someone I was not even texting at the time. I didn't even have my phone on when it happened. I have seen a couple of other postings about similar situations, some of which have been blamed on re-sold iPhones, etc. None of that is my case.
I find this frightening and Apple/AT&T's attitude towards it TOTALLY frustrating and unacceptable. With no other thoughts, it strikes me that is an issue related to iMessage.

Just going to point out. AT&T responses is the correct one. They have nothing to do with the iMessage network and Zero control over it. All the can and should do is point you to Apple.

This is a 100% Apple problem. A simple solution for Apple to put in is for you the user to de-Authorized devices from a log in on your computer. This removes them from being able to send or receive iMessage until reauthorized.

Apple has created this mess and really not doing much to try to fix it.

dotme · Nov 13, 2011

Matthew Yohe said:
The title here is a little alarmist. It's not an iMessage security breech, rather a single user's iTunes Account was compromised.

Well, maybe. But that's not how I read it. This seems to be more about their phone number than their iTunes account...

Geckotek · Nov 13, 2011

dotme said:
Well, maybe. But that's not how I read it. This seems to be more about their phone number than their iTunes account...

You're both wrong. In another thread the purchaser didn't even have the sim.

Seems to me like iMessage associates the IMEI with their iTunes account. This association doesn't get wiped when you wipe the phone since it is stored in iCloud.

britboyj · Nov 13, 2011

Geckotek said:
You're both wrong. In another thread the purchaser didn't even have the sim.

Seems to me like iMessage associates the IMEI with their iTunes account. This association doesn't get wiped when you wipe the phone since it is stored in iCloud.

So, before you sell a phone, turn OFF iMessage, send some texts or whatever and THEN restore?

sjinsjca · Nov 13, 2011

Hf44 said:
if she is connected to a wireless router, make sure its secure, and has a password

Like Blackberry's Messenger, iMessage datastream is encrypted. See http://www.anandtech.com/show/4956/apple-ios-5-review/3

This means the WiFi can be open, and the data is still secure.

So it's not that.

rasputinj · Nov 13, 2011

My concern about this thread and another similar was started by people who have just joined the forum. Maybe it is a coincidence maybe not. I do find the thread titles to be alarmist though.

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