With iPhone usage continuing to grow worldwide, it’s important for users to understand the security risks associated with these devices. iPhones contain a tremendous amount of sensitive personal data, from photos and messages to financial information and health data. That’s why regularly scanning your iPhone for potential vulnerabilities is essential.
According to security experts, the threats to iPhone security are increasing as hackers become more sophisticated (https://labtechshow.com/live-shows/). Malware, data breaches, and device hijacking are just some of the risks. While Apple has robust built-in security measures, new threats are constantly emerging. That makes it critical for users to be proactive about iPhone security and utilize available tools to identify and address any weaknesses.
By taking the time to properly scan your iPhone for potential issues, you can better secure your sensitive information and reduce the risk of your data being compromised. This article will cover best practices and key steps you should take to comprehensively scan your iPhone’s security.
Checking App Permissions
One of the best ways to increase your iPhone’s security is to check which apps have access to sensitive data and disable any unnecessary permissions. You can view and adjust app permissions in the Settings app.
Go to Settings > Privacy to see a list of app permissions categories like Location, Camera, Microphone and more. Tapping on each category shows you which apps have requested access to that data. For example, you may notice Facebook has access to your Location even though it doesn’t need it.
For each individual app, you can turn its permissions on or off. Tap on the app and toggle the different permissions switches to deny access. Be mindful of which permissions are actually needed for the app to function properly. For example, denying Camera access to the Camera app would cause it to not work correctly.
Scrutinizing app permissions helps minimize privacy risks from apps collecting more data than they need. Periodically checking the Privacy settings enables you to prune unnecessary app access to the phone’s sensitive features over time as you install/uninstall apps.
Updating Software
It is crucial to keep your iPhone’s iOS and apps up-to-date. According to Statista, as of December 2023, 81% of Apple devices worldwide are running iOS 16. Older iOS versions contain more vulnerabilities that hackers can exploit to gain access to your data and device. By updating to the latest iOS version, you get important security patches that fix bugs and close security holes.
The same logic applies to individual apps. Developers frequently update their apps to fix bugs and security issues. If you don’t update apps regularly, you are leaving your device exposed. For optimal iPhone security, enable automatic updates for iOS and apps in your Settings. This ensures you are always running the most secure software versions as soon as updates are released.
Using Strong Passcodes
One of the most important ways to secure your iPhone is to use a strong passcode. Apple recommends setting a passcode with 6 or more digits to make it harder to guess. Research shows a 6-digit passcode takes up to 22 hours to crack, while an 8-digit passcode can take up to 92 years (Source).
You should also change your passcode regularly to prevent someone from accessing your phone if they see you type it in. Avoid using common passwords like “123456” or easily guessed numbers like your birthday (Source). The average iPhone user unlocks their device 80 times per day, so choose a strong passcode you can remember (Source).
Enabling Encryption
Encryption helps protect your iPhone data in case your device is ever lost or stolen. When encryption is enabled, your data is scrambled and unreadable without your passcode. This prevents anyone else from accessing your personal information if they get hold of your iPhone.
All iPhones since the iPhone 5S are encrypted by default (Apple Newsroom). However, Apple offers an advanced level of encryption called Advanced Data Protection that further scrambles specified data like messages, notes, contacts, and photos. Enabling this advanced encryption provides an extra layer of security for your most sensitive iPhone data.
According to Apple, the Advanced Data Protection makes it nearly impossible for hackers, cyber criminals or even Apple itself to access your protected data (Apple Newsroom). So if you lose your iPhone or it’s stolen, your personal data remains secure.
Avoiding Suspicious Links
Phishing attacks, where cyber criminals send fraudulent emails or texts pretending to be legitimate companies in order to steal sensitive information, are a major threat to iPhone users.
According to a 2023 report from MIT, phishing attacks have been rising steadily, with over 200 million attacks reported last year alone (source). Many of these target iPhone users specifically.
These phishing emails or texts may look like they’re from Apple or other legitimate companies. They often encourage users to click on a link to “update their account” or “access a receipt”. However, these links actually direct users to fake login pages designed to steal usernames, passwords, and other private data.
According to TechTarget, over 85% of organizations have been victimized by mobile phishing attacks (source). Users should be very cautious about clicking links in unsolicited emails or texts.
To avoid falling victim to phishing, iPhone users should refrain from clicking on links in suspicious emails or texts. Even if an email looks like it’s from Apple, it’s best to go directly to the Apple website or app rather than clicking embedded links. Users can also report suspected phishing emails to Apple at [email protected] (source). Staying vigilant is key to avoiding iPhone phishing scams.
Using a VPN
A VPN, or virtual private network, is an important tool for keeping your iPhone secure and protecting your privacy (Source). When activated on your iPhone, a VPN routes all of your internet traffic through an encrypted tunnel to a server operated by the VPN provider. This prevents hackers, your internet service provider, or anyone else from being able to see your online activity and intercept sensitive information like passwords or credit card numbers.
Some key benefits of using a VPN on your iPhone include:
- Masking your IP address so your online actions can’t be linked back to you or your location
- Securing your connection on public WiFi networks to prevent man-in-the-middle attacks
- Bypassing geographic restrictions to access content blocked in certain countries
- Preventing tracking by advertisers and websites you visit
Highly rated VPNs like ExpressVPN and NordVPN offer user-friendly iPhone apps that make it easy to turn on encryption and protect your privacy. With the risks to mobile security increasing, using a trusted VPN is one of the best ways to keep your iPhone and personal data safe from prying eyes.
Running Antivirus Software
Installing antivirus software is one of the best ways to scan your iPhone for security threats. Here are some of the top antivirus apps for iOS:
According to Forbes, Sophos Intercept X is one of the best iOS antivirus apps for 2024, providing powerful mobile protection through features like anti-malware scanning, web filtering, and loss and theft protections.
Kaspersky is another top option cited by Forbes, offering robust antivirus protection plus a virtual private network (VPN) to keep your web traffic encrypted and secure.
Malwarebytes is a great choice for focusing specifically on malware scanning and protection, using advanced techniques to detect new and emerging iPhone threats.
Avast Security & Privacy, available on the App Store, provides an all-in-one security solution with antivirus, VPN, WiFi protection, and more.
Cybernews recommends TotalAV as the top antivirus for real-time protection against the latest iOS malware and vulnerabilities.
Overall, installing a highly-rated antivirus app like these options is critical for identifying and blocking any malware or other threats on your iPhone.
Backing Up Data
Regularly backing up the data on your iPhone is one of the most important things you can do to keep your information safe. According to a Pew Research study, 57% of mobile users back up their phones after having their data compromised. Backups ensure you have a copy of your data if your phone is ever lost, stolen, or stops working. There are two main types of iPhone backups:
Local backups to a computer allow you to save a copy of your iPhone data on your Mac or PC using iTunes or Finder. This provides an offline backup if you ever lose access to iCloud. According to research by Avast, 41% of people back up monthly locally. Regular local backups are recommended.
Cloud backups using iCloud save a copy of your iPhone data online. This provides redundancy if your phone and computer are both lost or destroyed. iCloud backups happen automatically as long as you have internet connectivity and storage available. For maximum safety, using both local and cloud backups is recommended.
Backups should be done at least monthly, or more often if you frequently add new data to your iPhone. Backups allow you to recover from data loss quickly and easily.
Conclusion
Keeping your iPhone secure is crucial for protecting your sensitive data and privacy. By regularly scanning your iPhone for security vulnerabilities and enabling key security features, you can help safeguard your device.
Some key steps covered in this guide include checking your app permissions, updating to the latest iOS software version, using strong passcodes, turning on encryption, avoiding suspicious links, using a VPN, running antivirus software, and backing up your data.
Following these best practices for scanning your iPhone security helps ensure your apps, network connections, and files remain safe from unauthorized access. Performing periodic security reviews gives you peace of mind that your iPhone usage adheres to your desired privacy and security standards.