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Has your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch been hacked? Here's how to find out
Has youriPhone, iPad, or iPod touch been hacked? Probably not, but there's so much information on a smartphone -- not to mention the fact that it can also be used to precisely pinpoint its owner -- that more and more tools exist to help unscrupulous people get a foot in the door of your digital fortress.
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The good news is that tools exist to help you determine whether your device has been compromised. One such tool that I've been testing is Certo AntiSpy.
Certo AntiSpy is not an app. Instead, it is a utility that you download and install on a Windows or Mac, and you use that to scan a backup of your iOS or iPadOS for subtle signs of intrusion.
You do need a local backup of your device -- which under macOS Catalina no longer uses iTunes but instead Finder -- but having a local backup of your device is not a bad thing, so this tool can also help you prevent data loss.
Must read: Five iPhone security settings you should check today
Certo AntiSpy iPhone Spyware Detection
How Certo AntiSpy works is easy. You make a local backup of your device, and then you let it loose on it. It scans for jailbreaks, looks for spyware, and will warn you if known tracking apps are installed.
Additionally, it also carries out a privacy audit on the apps you have installed, giving you an at-a-glance view of which apps have access to your location, microphone, or camera.
It's quick too, with a scan of a packed iPhone taking a few minutes.
As with most good things in life, Certo AntiSpy is not free. It's offered as a yearly subscription package in three tiers -- Basic is aimed at home users for $29.95 per year, Pro for $49.95 per year, and Ultimate is for at businesses or customers with many devices for $89.95 pear year.
Don't want to spend money on a tool to scan your iPhone? Then one of the best security measures you can take with an iPhone or iPad is to reboot it regularly -- hacks and jailbreaks don't survive that.
More iPhone security tips here.