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Safari Browser History Remotely Viewed

X

xstamper

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Dec 1, 2014
10
0
I posted about this in the iPhone troubleshooting section but I thought I might get more discussion here.

My girlfriend's MacBook has iCloud set up (I think, I don't actually use her computer) and through it she's able to receive text messages and other alerts from her phone.

She recently asked me about a few websites I'd visited on my phone. I went to these sites on my 5s while on her WiFi, but as far as I know there was never a time I logged into my iCloud on her computer.

Is there any way Safari history on an iPhone 5s can be viewed on a MacBook which shares a WiFi network?

For the life of me, I cannot figure out how she was able to see the sites I'd visited.

Does anyone have any solutions?

The set up in the apartment is...
MacBook
Two iPhone 5s
One WiFi network

The only time I'm on the internet it's on my 5s. Sometimes I'm not on WiFi, sometimes I am.

Also, if my phone's activity was being displayed on her MacBook, would that only happen while we were on the safe WiFi network? Or could it happen when I'm at my own apartment not on Wifi, or at work on another network?

I've never thought I had a use for iCloud so I haven't looked into its capabilities before now, and I figure talking to real people would be a better option than scouring articles for clues.
 
X

xstamper

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Dec 1, 2014
10
0
TomTomHatesCats said:
How exactly did she say she saw which sites you visited, specifically from your phone? Did it show up through Safari's history on her Macbook?
Click to expand...

She didn't give any details and I didn't ask.

Really, she didn't say anything specific at all. She just brought it up in a "I need to ask you something" sort of conversation. I just don't know how she would have known. That would have to be a huge coincidence if she didn't... But she was in a real funk for a couple days before we had the conversation so I can probably rule that out. She must have seen it somehow.

I've thought about it showing up on her MacBook's Safari history, but I'm pretty sure I was using private tabs at the time. On top of that, I'm fairly sure I didn't have Safari set to sync with iCloud. I would have had iCloud activated on my phone but would definitely not have signed in on her computer at any point.

Do you think my activity could show up even without me logging into iCloud on the MacBook?
 
Last edited:
silvetti

silvetti

macrumors 6502a
Nov 24, 2011
952
376
Poland
First, she might have been bluffing and you just spilled the beans ?

Second, don't watch porn (making an assumption here, don't get upset) on your phone without Private Mode on, even with that check the Advanced for Website Data, those pesky websites sometimes leave traces there :D

(I speak from experience).

Third, there is no way your Safari history will appear on her laptop unless she has your icloud account and can configure it and check what tabs you have open for example.

The best you can do anyway is pay attention to the Second point! :)
 
Weaselboy

Weaselboy

Moderator
Staff member
Jan 23, 2005
34,171
15,694
California
xstamper said:
Do you think my activity could show up even without me logging into iCloud on the MacBook?
Click to expand...

Nope... browsing history would sync if her MacBook and your phone were logged in to the same iCloud account, but just being on the same wifi network would not allow her to see your browsing history in her MacBook.

Now what is possible, depending on her router, is some routers can log sites visited and she could check that and see where have been.
 
DeltaMac

DeltaMac

macrumors G5
Jul 30, 2003
13,489
4,415
Delaware
Maybe the issue is much simpler...
Your GF checked out your phone (and browser history) while you were out of the room (?)
 
silvetti

silvetti

macrumors 6502a
Nov 24, 2011
952
376
Poland
DeltaMac said:
Maybe the issue is much simpler...
Your GF checked out your phone (and browser history) while you were out of the room (?)
Click to expand...

This.

My gf used to do this when I went to take a shower :D (not anymore though, trust issues are long gone)
 
C

crancher

macrumors newbie
Feb 28, 2016
1
0
This one is quite simple... You were on her wifi. All sites you visit have to go through her router.

And if you go to unsecure (not https) sites, then she can technically see all detail about what you were doing on those sites, but she can always see the domain name.

If you want to hide what you're doing on her network, you need to use some kind of forwarding. Like a proxy server or a tor browser(google those).
 
curiousmom

curiousmom

macrumors newbie
Jan 17, 2018
1
0
Weaselboy said:
Nope... browsing history would sync if her MacBook and your phone were logged in to the same iCloud account, but just being on the same wifi network would not allow her to see your browsing history in her MacBook.

Now what is possible, depending on her router, is some routers can log sites visited and she could check that and see where have been.
Click to expand...

What routers would that be? I'm allot to install internet service in my house and I have a very techno savvy 7 year old boy who likes to watch twerking videos and has discovered the "delete browsing history" option. I've figured out how totrack it on my phone and other electronic devices but am a bitconcerned for when I get our computer and Wi-Fi up and running. Lol
 
Weaselboy

Weaselboy

Moderator
Staff member
Jan 23, 2005
34,171
15,694
California
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