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Getting "App-Spammed" on Iphone 5

S

skittlz

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Dec 18, 2012
15
1
New York, New York
Random apps keep appearing on my Iphone5. Just appearing. Out of nowhere.
A few things.
1: No, they did not sync to my phone from Itunes or my Ipad
2: No, my Iphone is not Jailbroken
3: No, no one has had access to my devices but me
4: Please do not tell me just to delete them, you will get cyber-slapped. That doesn't answer my question.

All I really want to know is if anyone else has been getting app-spammed and is there a way to stop it?

List of apps that have downloaded themselves to my phone:
1: Into the Dead
2: CSR Racing
3: Gangnam Dance Booth
4: Nitro Racing
5: Split Pic
6: Action Movie
7: Diner Dash
8: Gardens
9: Anger of Stick 3
10: Escape Prison
11: Zombie HQ
12: Real Steel
13: CK Zombies 2
14: Jewel Mania
15: Fruit Ninja Free
16: Streaker
17: NinJump
18: Monster Dash
19: 0.02s
20: tadaa
21: InstaQuote
22: IGun Pro
 
haruhiko

haruhiko

macrumors 604
Sep 29, 2009
6,529
5,875
Someone is using the same iTunes / App Store account as yours and you enabled "Automatic Download" on your iPhone.
 
J

JohnnyComeLatly

macrumors member
Nov 12, 2010
99
0
Change your iTunes password. Someone else is using your account and you have automatic downloads enabled. If you're aware someone else has your iTunes account for THEIR device, then just disable your "automatic download."

I'm half a world away from my family (I'm in Asia, they're in US). When they load apps on their iPad/iPhone, it auto loads on mine. Vice versa, when I load an app on mine, it loads on theirs. For me, I like it, but obviously you don't appreciate it. :D
 
A

alan111

macrumors regular
Sep 17, 2010
188
1
haruhiko said:
Someone is using the same iTunes / App Store account as yours and you enabled "Automatic Download" on your iPhone.
Click to expand...

X2

I would also check your account for any transactions as well... Not just for free apps
 
BHP41

BHP41

macrumors 6502a
Jul 21, 2010
834
2
United States of America
Jordan921 said:
Like everyone else said change your password and turn off automatic download.
Click to expand...

Change his password for sure but I don't thunk he should turn off auto-download. Seems that's the only way he's known that someone else is accessing his account. Actually it's a pretty good safety measure come to think of it.
 
S

skittlz

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Dec 18, 2012
15
1
New York, New York
No one is using my username and password.. I've already changed my password and the apps keep appearing even after I changed my password. :confused::confused::confused::confused::confused::confused:
 
Nermal

Nermal

Moderator
Staff member
Dec 7, 2002
20,640
4,039
New Zealand
I had a similar issue today. I turned on my phone and App Store was notifying me of two updates (via the red "2"). I tapped the App Store icon and it immediately asked for my password, which it's never done before (I normally have to select an app to install or update). I entered the password anyway at which point five games on my home screen, all from Halfbrick, changed to "Waiting". I had not selected to install any updates, and even restarting the phone didn't change them from "Waiting". I had to hold each one and use the X to remove them.

Perhaps there's something odd (and intermittent) going on with the App Store at the moment. In any case I've just turned off automatic downloads (which I thought was off anyway).
 
S

skittlz

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Dec 18, 2012
15
1
New York, New York
Nermal said:
I had a similar issue today. I turned on my phone and App Store was notifying me of two updates (via the red "2"). I tapped the App Store icon and it immediately asked for my password, which it's never done before (I normally have to select an app to install or update). I entered the password anyway at which point five games on my home screen, all from Halfbrick, changed to "Waiting". I had not selected to install any updates, and even restarting the phone didn't change them from "Waiting". I had to hold each one and use the X to remove them.

Perhaps there's something odd (and intermittent) going on with the App Store at the moment. In any case I've just turned off automatic downloads (which I thought was off anyway).
Click to expand...

FINALLY! Someone knows wth I'm talking about. I was starting to feel crazy. I actually think it's app makers trying to push their products on people.
 
ChristianVirtual

ChristianVirtual

macrumors 601
May 10, 2010
4,122
282
日本
just for interest and as suggested earlier: could you have a look into your purchase history and crosscheck if those apps have a transaction behind ? And post that to Apple Support and see how they react.
 
B

Brian Y

macrumors 68040
Oct 21, 2012
3,776
1,064
skittlz said:
FINALLY! Someone knows wth I'm talking about. I was starting to feel crazy. I actually think it's app makers trying to push their products on people.
Click to expand...

Lol. There's no way for app developers to push apps onto your phone.

Somebody has downloaded them with your account. Whether that's you, or someone else - it's someone.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
upnorth85

upnorth85

macrumors 6502a
Oct 2, 2011
629
202
MN, USA
What if one downloaded a fraudulent App that has made you enter your itunes password and is buying Apps through a server and then they automatically get downloaded on each device on that itunes account? A simple script can do that.
bma said:
Lol. There's no way for app developers to push apps onto your phone.

Somebody has downloaded them with your account. Whether that's you, or someone else - it's someone.
Click to expand...
 
Last edited by a moderator:
B

Brian Y

macrumors 68040
Oct 21, 2012
3,776
1,064
upnorth85 said:
What if one downloaded a fraudulent App that has made you enter your itunes password and is buying Apps through a server and then they automatically get downloaded on each device on that itunes account? A simple script can do that.
Click to expand...

Him changing his password would have stopped it. That, and an App with such functionality would a) never be allowed by Apple and b) would have made front page news by now ;)
 
upnorth85

upnorth85

macrumors 6502a
Oct 2, 2011
629
202
MN, USA
I agree, but so many apps to be reviewed one could easily slip by. Do you remember of an App that did nothing but cost $100 or so. Just showed an Apple. Apple took it down but not until many people bought it.
bma said:
Him changing his password would have stopped it. That, and an App with such functionality would a) never be allowed by Apple and b) would have made front page news by now ;)
Click to expand...
 
S

skittlz

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Dec 18, 2012
15
1
New York, New York
bma said:
Lol. There's no way for app developers to push apps onto your phone. Leave your tin-foil hat at the door!

Somebody has downloaded them with your account. Whether that's you, or someone else - it's someone.
Click to expand...

I have looked at my app purchases. The apps that appeared on my phone are not on the list. I have contacted Apple. They are looking into it.

----------

I think I have an idea of who the culprit may be. I noticed it started happening shortly after I downloaded a couple of photo editing apps to test them out. It's been a few days since I deleted them from my phone and no new apps are popping up. If nothing pops up after a week, I'm going to download them again to see if it happens again.

Suspects:
Pic Stitch
Pic Jointer
Photo Editor - Fotolr
Pic-Frame, Photo Collage & Picture.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
macingman

macingman

macrumors 68020
Jan 2, 2011
2,147
3
No you've got it all wrong here. There is absolutely NO WAY that an app you download could do anything malicious to your phone by downloading other apps. It is just IMPOSSIBLE as every app runs in a sandbox and doesn't affect any other apps aside from apps that use API's to interact with other web services/apps but these API's couldn't possibly allow what you are saying the apps are doing.

The only way these apps could of appeared is that SOMEONE downloaded them using your username and password. Whether it was you or someone else is irrelevant but there was no way an app could of done it.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
ChristianVirtual

ChristianVirtual

macrumors 601
May 10, 2010
4,122
282
日本
Just a quick idea run into my head: are those real apps or just icons on the screen; did you clicked them and the apps started or could those be just links stored on the home screen pointing into web ?

Just asking; not even sure if a program or Safari could create a link this way. But I share the opinion from most here that normally apps can't install other apps.

So if you contacted Apple maybe the best thing is: don't touch your device; don't delete or install new apps. Makes potentially forensic easier.
 
S

skittlz

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Dec 18, 2012
15
1
New York, New York
ChristianJapan said:
Just a quick idea run into my head: are those real apps or just icons on the screen; did you clicked them and the apps started or could those be just links stored on the home screen pointing into web ?

Just asking; not even sure if a program or Safari could create a link this way. But I share the opinion from most here that normally apps can't install other apps.

So if you contacted Apple maybe the best thing is: don't touch your device; don't delete or install new apps. Makes potentially forensic easier.
Click to expand...

They are real apps. I clicked on a couple to see what they were all about. It's hard for me to believe that someone is using my username and password, being that the same apps redownloaded to my phone after i deleted them and changed my password. What are the odds that someone would download the same app to my device using two different passwords I created? I'm not sure this is the best answer to my question at this point. I'm going to wait for Apple's response.

Thanks for everyone's response. The non-sarcastic responses, that is...
 
P

Phong35

macrumors newbie
Nov 6, 2016
1
0
skittlz said:
They are real apps. I clicked on a couple to see what they were all about. It's hard for me to believe that someone is using my username and password, being that the same apps redownloaded to my phone after i deleted them and changed my password. What are the odds that someone would download the same app to my device using two different passwords I created? I'm not sure this is the best answer to my question at this point. I'm going to wait for Apple's response.

Thanks for everyone's response. The non-sarcastic responses, that is...
Click to expand...

I have similar issue. I changed my password and I am the only one that have the password. Random App still installed by itself.
 
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