iPhone Can spyware really be installed without someone having my phone physically?

[steve0807]

I have a good amount of reasonable suspicion that an iphone can have spyware installed on it, and that it is extremely likely that this can be done without a person having access to DL anything to the device themselves.

Could someone maybe send some kind or "trick" SMS that causes the person to unknowingly activate spyware on there phone therefore giving access for another to read their text messages ?

Or is there perhaps another way to be able to read someones texts without having physical access to the device somehow ?

My research has concluded the answer to that is most likely not, but I have found a few possibilities that this is possible to do. One of the techniques being called "man in the middle."

My experience is indicating that this is definitely possible somehow. And my question is - how ?

 

[GGJstudios]

I have a good amount of reasonable suspicion that an iphone can have spyware installed on it, and that it is extremely likely that this can be done without a person having access to DL anything to the device themselves.

Could someone maybe send some kind or "trick" SMS that causes the person to unknowingly activate spyware on there phone therefore giving access for another to read their text messages ?

Not possible on an unjailbroken device.

 

[odditie]

Man in the middle wouldn't have anything to do with spyware being on your phone and I don't think it would have anything to do with sms. If they are iMessages I also have questions on it being man in the middle since that would mean they are decrypting the message somehow.

Can you give some details on what you are experience and what evidence you have so someone (likely someone more knowledgeable than me) would be able to help you.

A few questions I would have are:

- Do you ever hook your iPhone up to a computer?
- Do you have enterprise services enabled on the device?

 

[steve0807]

Man in the middle wouldn't have anything to do with spyware being on your phone and I don't think it would have anything to do with sms. If they are iMessages I also have questions on it being man in the middle since that would mean they are decrypting the message somehow.

Can you give some details on what you are experience and what evidence you have so someone (likely someone more knowledgeable than me) would be able to help you.

A few questions I would have are:

- Do you ever hook your iPhone up to a computer?
- Do you have enterprise services enabled on the device?

I know that they know of information that was mentioned in my text messages. And I am positive that they have never had a chance to access my phone to look or install anything. Nor are they in communication with anyone of the ppl who I had sent these text(s) to.

They are spying on my texts somehow someway. My device is not jailbroken, and I do occasionally hook it up to my computer. Which the person has nebver had access to either.

How is it possible they are able to see my texts ? Also, this person is not exactly tech savvy, so it must be something somewhat readily available i would think.. And i am not sure about enterprise services..

Thanks for the respnonse

 

[GGJstudios]

How is it possible they are able to see my texts ? Also, this person is not exactly tech savvy, so it must be something somewhat readily available i would think..

In the overwhelming majority of cases were someone believes they've been hacked or are being spied on, the answer lies in something quite simple and non-technical, especially when the person you're talking about isn't tech savvy. They may have guessed something or talked to someone. People whose technology prowess is limited are quick to think the problem lies with tech when, in fact, there are many explanations that don't involve advanced technology.

There are no spying or hacking tools readily available to the non-tech-savvy general public that would likely enable a non-techie to compromise your iPhone.

 

[odditie]

I know that they know of information that was mentioned in my text messages. And I am positive that they have never had a chance to access my phone to look or install anything. Nor are they in communication with anyone of the ppl who I had sent these text(s) to.

They are spying on my texts somehow someway. My device is not jailbroken, and I do occasionally hook it up to my computer. Which the person has nebver had access to either.

How is it possible they are able to see my texts ? Also, this person is not exactly tech savvy, so it must be something somewhat readily available i would think.. And i am not sure about enterprise services..

Thanks for the respnonse

I don't think this is probably the case, but could they have access to your cell carrier website and that website has a log of all text messages sent/received?

 

[steve0807]

In the overwhelming majority of cases were someone believes they've been hacked or are being spied on, the answer lies in something quite simple and non-technical, especially when the person you're talking about isn't tech savvy. They may have guessed something or talked to someone. People whose technology prowess is limited are quick to think the problem lies with tech when, in fact, there are many explanations that don't involve advanced technology.

There are no spying or hacking tools readily available to the non-tech-savvy general public that would likely enable a non-techie to compromise your iPhone.

Then I think this person must be more resourceful than I thought. Let's say my prediction here is right for the hell of it. In order to get that kind of access to someones phone, where would a conventional person turn first to find out how to do so ? My guess would be the internet, but I have done research on this myself and can't seem to find any non-scam info that allows you to install spyware one someones phone without manually installing yourself. So, my next guess would be a friend who knows how to do this sort of thing ? Would something like this be more or less common knowledge for an average "tech" person to have ?

 

[GGJstudios]

Let's say my prediction here is right for the hell of it. In order to get that kind of access to someones phone, where would a conventional person turn first to find out how to do so ?

Your prediction is not right, as there is no way that what you're suggesting can be done. Instead of wasting time trying to prove an impossible scenario, basic troubleshooting would suggest looking into more likely and plausible scenarios. Your iPhone was not hacked or spied upon, unless you intentionally set it up that way.

 

[steve0807]

Your prediction is not right, as there is no way that what you're suggesting can be done. Instead of wasting time trying to prove an impossible scenario, basic troubleshooting would suggest looking into more likely and plausible scenarios. Your iPhone was not hacked or spied upon, unless you intentionally set it up that way.

So you are saying that it is just not possible for a person to be able to read/intercept/mirror etc someone elses incoming/outgoing texts without having directly installed something on their phone ?

 

[dyt1983]

edit: To remove personally identifying info not relevant to the conversation.

 

[swordfish5736]

and what about the person you had the conversation with?

 

[azhava]

So you are saying that it is just not possible for a person to be able to read/intercept/mirror etc someone elses incoming/outgoing texts without having directly installed something on their phone ?

This was recently a significant news item. The US Government (specifically, the NSA), was complaining because Apple refused to put in place any "backdoors" to allow the government to intercept/decrypt data from iPhones (including photos, messages, emails, etc.). According to Apple's privacy page:

...Your iMessages and FaceTime calls are your business, not ours. Your communications are protected by end-to-end encryption across all your devices when you use iMessage and FaceTime, and with iOS 8 your iMessages are also encrypted on your device in such a way that they can’t be accessed without your passcode. Apple has no way to decrypt iMessage and FaceTime data when it’s in transit between devices. So unlike other companies’ messaging services, Apple doesn’t scan your communications, and we wouldn’t be able to comply with a wiretap order even if we wanted to...

I highly doubt that your text messages are being intercepted - especially by somebody who you described as being less than tech-savvy. If the NSA is complaining about not being able to access/decrypt data, it's pretty implausible to think that Joe Average would stumble upon a way to do so. The only way I could see it happening is if you gave somebody else your iCloud password (or you have one that's easy to guess) and they've logged into your account.

 

[GGJstudios]

So you are saying that it is just not possible for a person to be able to read/intercept/mirror etc someone elses incoming/outgoing texts without having directly installed something on their phone ?

That's correct.

 

[Defender2010]

All I want to know is: Is it a jilted partner or are you watching too many Bourne movies?

 

[ANTAWNM26]

I have a good amount of reasonable suspicion that an iphone can have spyware installed on it, and that it is extremely likely that this can be done without a person having access to DL anything to the device themselves.

Could someone maybe send some kind or "trick" SMS that causes the person to unknowingly activate spyware on there phone therefore giving access for another to read their text messages ?

Or is there perhaps another way to be able to read someones texts without having physical access to the device somehow ?

My research has concluded the answer to that is most likely not, but I have found a few possibilities that this is possible to do. One of the techniques being called "man in the middle."

My experience is indicating that this is definitely possible somehow. And my question is - how ?

1. they are making close guesses
2. the person your texting is telling it or showing what you text point blank

 

[KUguardgrl13]

Do they have access to your cell phone account where they could put parental controls on your phone? That happened to a friend of mine with an abusive (now ex) boyfriend. He put parental controls on her android phone so he could screen all texts and calls. Super paranoid. We're grateful she caught him and booted him to the curb.

 

[C DM]

So you are saying that it is just not possible for a person to be able to read/intercept/mirror etc someone elses incoming/outgoing texts without having directly installed something on their phone ?

Well, if we are talking about iMessages there's the possibility that they have access to a device where your Apple ID is logged in (or they have a way to log in with your Apple ID by either guessing your password or finding it out somehow) and that way it's possible for them to see the iMessages you are sending/receiving. If you haven't done so, one of the best methods to avoid that or to deal with that is to change your Apple ID password.

 

[Armen]

I have a good amount of reasonable suspicion that an iphone can have spyware installed on it, and that it is extremely likely that this can be done without a person having access to DL anything to the device themselves.

Could someone maybe send some kind or "trick" SMS that causes the person to unknowingly activate spyware on there phone therefore giving access for another to read their text messages ?

Or is there perhaps another way to be able to read someones texts without having physical access to the device somehow ?

My research has concluded the answer to that is most likely not, but I have found a few possibilities that this is possible to do. One of the techniques being called "man in the middle."

My experience is indicating that this is definitely possible somehow. And my question is - how ?

If someone has your Apple ID and password they can login to iCloud using your credentials and see your iMessages along with your photostream and other information. That is the only thing I can think of as far as them "spying" on you.

 

[cynics]

Check what devices are logged into your AppleID. Then regardless change your AppleID password. Make it something long and complicated that has absolutely nothing to do with you personally.

If you share or someone has access to that (guess your password?) they have access to a lot of information on your phone.

I'm sitting here right now watching text messages flood my iMac in the message program. That is accomplished by me being logged into the same AppleID my phone is.

If someone did the same thing except with someone else AppleID then they could just sit back and watch the message fly just being careful that they don't respond. You'd never even know.

Due to Apples sandboxing I don't think your have any spyware, viruses or anything like that.

 

[xraydoc]

I have a good amount of reasonable suspicion that an iphone can have spyware installed on it, and that it is extremely likely that this can be done without a person having access to DL anything to the device themselves.

Could someone maybe send some kind or "trick" SMS that causes the person to unknowingly activate spyware on there phone therefore giving access for another to read their text messages ?

Or is there perhaps another way to be able to read someones texts without having physical access to the device somehow ?

My research has concluded the answer to that is most likely not, but I have found a few possibilities that this is possible to do. One of the techniques being called "man in the middle."

My experience is indicating that this is definitely possible somehow. And my question is - how ?

No. Not possible. Unless someone has your AppleID password, the info on your phone is secure.