Malware on iPhone

[M915 Driver]

Hello...
I have an iPhone 14 with iOS 18.3.1.
On Monday I answered a text message on my phone that may have compromised my bank account. I notified my bank and did NOT lose any money. The bank froze my account and suggested I close the account and open a new one.
Today I did do close the compromised(?) account and open a new one.
The person that helped me at the bank suggested I take my iPhone to Staples and have it checked for malware. I am not letting Staples or any other store touch my phone because they will load it up with their garbage.
Do I need to worry about malware on my iPhone? If so, is there a recommended app to scan for malware?
Thank you very much for any input.

Ken

 

[Raz0rEdge]

There is no malware on the iPhone.

How do you know the bank account was compromised? What exactly was the text content?

 

[Randy B. Singer]

Do I need to worry about malware on my iPhone? If so, is there a recommended app to scan for malware?

You are in the U.S., so there is only one source for software for the iPhone: the Mac App Store. For software to be allowed into the Mac App Store, it must be thoroughly vetted by Apple for, among other things, malware. That being the case, there is no vector for malware to get into your iPhone.

You can get what amounts to a malicious ad that arrives via text, e-mail or a poisoned Web site, but if that were the case, it would be purely a social engineering exercise. None of those would or could have left anything malicious on your iPhone.

As far as a program that can scan for malware on your iPhone. No matter what any program says, there is no such thing as an anti-virus scanner for the iPhone. How do I know this? Because apps are sandboxed on the iPhone for security purposes. That means that no app can access another app or the operating system. So, no app can "scan" your iPhone for anything. In other words: ***It is IMPOSSIBLE to create an anti-virus scanner for the iPhone***. Anything that you see advertised as an anti-virus or anti-malware program for the iPhone is a scam.

Your bank account wasn't "compromised" unless you volitionally gave account information to some bad guys. Just responding to a text wouldn't give them any information that they could use to access your bank account unless you TOLD THEM your account number and gave them the information that they need to access that account in your text message reply to them.

 

[RadDave]

You are in the U.S., so there is only one source for software the the iPhone: the Mac App Store. For software to be allowed into the Mac App Store, it must be thoroughly vetted by Apple for, among other things, malware. That being the case, there is no vector for malware to get into your iPhone.

You can get what amounts to a malicious ad that arrives via text, e-mail or a poisoned Web site, but if that were the case, it would be purely a social engineering exercise. None of those would or could have left anything malicious on your iPhone.

As far as a program that can scan for malware on your iPhone. No matter what any program says, there is no such thing as an anti-virus scanner for the iPhone. How do I know this? Because apps are sandboxed on the iPhone for security purposes. That means that no app can access another app or the operating system. So, no app can "scan" your iPhone for anything. In other words: ***It is IMPOSSIBLE to create an anti-virus scanner for the iPhone***. Anything that you see advertised as an anti-virus or anti-malware program for the iPhone is a scam.

Your bank account wasn't "compromised" unless you volitionally gave account information to some bad guys. Just responding to a text wouldn't give them any information that they could use to access your bank account unless you TOLD THEM your account number and gave them the information that they need to access that account in your text message reply to them.

Randy - thanks as usual for your thorough and knowledgeable reply - I feel that Ken's bank gave him poor advice, e.g. was there really a need to open a new account and also to take his iPhone to Staples (why not suggest an Apple store?) to check for malware which is non-existent - my suggestion is before listening to suggestions from others who may be mis-informed, check with this or other similar websites that can provide reasonable directions. Dave

 

[Randy B. Singer]

Randy - thanks as usual for your thorough and knowledgeable reply - I feel that Ken's bank gave him poor advice, e.g. was there really a need to open a new account and also to take his iPhone to Staples (why not suggest an Apple store?) to check for malware which is non-existent - my suggestion is before listening to suggestions from others who may be mis-informed, check with this or other similar websites that can provide reasonable directions. Dave

YES! This ^^

I got an e-mail just this week from a Macintosh-using attorney who got a bunch of advice from an expensive law firm computer consultant. But this attorney was confused, because the advice was contrary to stuff that he had heard before. It turns out that this consultant knew just about nothing about the Macintosh, and much of his advice was sincerely and profoundly wrong.

Which brings me to something that I've told folks on various forums a bunch of times:

ONLY GET YOUR MACINTOSH ADVICE FROM MACINTOSH EXPERTS

(and, yes, I'm shouting!)

If you get your advice from folks who aren't Macintosh experts, not only is that advice likely to be wrong, but it's likely to be very confusing and possibly even expensive or dangerous.

While Windows may LOOK very similar to the Macintosh, underneath, and in a bunch of other ways, it is quite a bit different. Windows experts are usually not Macintosh experts. DON'T get your Macintosh advice from the radio program The Kim Komando Show, from PCWorld, from your local store that sells Windows computers, from Windows consultants, or, worst of all, your buddy who uses a Windows computer. Way more often than not, they don't know what they are talking about when it comes to the Macintosh.

 

[M915 Driver]

Thank you for the very detailed answers to my question.
This forum alway amazes me with the very informative answers to all questions. I check the new post section every day.

Again thank you for the educational responses.
Ken

 

[Jimmysb]

Thank you for the very detailed answers to my question.
This forum alway amazes me with the very informative answers to all questions. I check the new post section every day.
I am attaching a PDF of the text messages.
Again thank you for the educational responses.
Ken

I have had similar, but found sometimes it 'locked' the browser, power down, back on, no issues.