4 Signs Your iPad Is Hacked—And What To Do

Apple is well-known for its focus on security, with plenty of built-in safeguards to protect users from malware and other problems. The iPad is no exception. However, that doesn’t mean it’s impossible to hack an iPad, particularly if the user fails to take precautionary measures. Criminals will take advantage of any chink in their armor, and are developing new hacking methods and malware variants all the time. We look at the signs that your iPad has been hacked, the steps that you should take to put things right if it has — and how you can stay safe in future.

Can iPads Get Hacked?

While it’s rare for an iPad to get hacked, it can happen — usually because of a mistake on the user's part. This usually involves clicking on malicious websites, ads, email attachments or links. iPads can also be hacked if you jailbreak your device.

Apps can generally only be downloaded from the Apple App Store, and because of various checks by the company, it’s rare for one to contain any malware. However, every now and again something dodgy does make it past the company’s thorough precautions. Meanwhile, if you don’t keep your eyes peeled, it's always possible to fall for a phishing scam persuading you to click on a fraudulent link.

How Do You Know Your iPad Is Hacked?

The signs that an iPad has been hacked are fairly straightforward — though you may not necessarily spot them immediately.

Similar to the experience of a hacked iPhone, you might see slow performance, system crashes and a deluge of dodgy pop-up ads are common signs that your device has been compromised. You may also spot apps that you didn’t install, or suspicious network activities such as unusual or unauthorized data transfers or unexpectedly high or abnormal network traffic. Other signs that your iPad may have been hacked include the appearance of unfamiliar user accounts, password changes that you didn’t make, unexpected changes to your account settings such as email forwarding rules or automatic email replies or changes to your security questions.

Sign 1: Slow Performance

One sign that your iPad may have been hacked is a drop in performance — it may be slow to respond, freeze or crash. This can be a sign that malware is running in the background or other unauthorized processes are consuming system resources.

Sign 2: Pop-Up Ads

Pop-up ads are a common sign that your device has been compromised, through an infection with adware that may try and persuade you to click on a fraudulent link or hand over personal information.

Sign 3: Suspicious Network Activities

If you spot unusual or unauthorized data transfers or unexpectedly high or abnormal network traffic, this is a strong sign that your iPad has been hacked, with someone else carrying out fraudulent activity.

Sign 4: Changes To Your Account Information

One sign that your iPad may have been hacked include the appearance of unfamiliar user accounts, password changes or security questions, or unexpected changes to your account settings such as email forwarding rules or automatic email replies.

What Should You Do If Your iPad Is Hacked?

There are a number of steps you should take if you think your iPad has been hacked — and it’s important to move quickly. The first thing to do is to unplug the device and then disconnect it from the internet.

You should change your passwords, making sure you use something unique and hard to guess, and enable two-factor authentication if you haven’t already. You should run a full anti-virus scan to check for unexpected apps or files and remove them. And you should also check your other accounts, such as social media (Facebook and Instagram) or shopping sites, for signs of compromise — particularly any accounts that might have your financial details.

Step 1: Disconnect

If your iPad has been hacked, the first thing you should do is disconnect it from the internet by turning off wifi. This means the hacker will no longer have access to the device.

Step 2: Change Your Passwords

Change the passwords for all your accounts — especially your Apple ID and any apps that contain sensitive information — using something strong and unique. You should also enable two-factor authentication if it isn't already turned on.

Step 3: Run An Anti-Virus Scan

Your iPad comes equipped with its own anti-virus package, and running a full scan should identify and remove any suspicious apps or files. For a belt-and-suspenders approach, you may want to download an additional anti-virus package from a reputable supplier.

Step 4: Check Other Accounts

If your iPad has been hacked, there’s a good chance that the attackers have tried to access your other accounts too — social media and, especially, accounts containing your financial information. Check everything for signs of compromise, and if you spot anything suspect, alert the provider.

How Can You Protect Your iPad From Hackers?

It’s important to stick to the same best practices as apply to any device — particularly using strong, unique passwords for each account and enabling two-factor authentication.

You should keep your iPad updated with the latest software, to make sure that any security updates are applied — and only ever download apps from the official App Store, where you can be sure they’ve been vetted. Be very wary of opening emails or attachments unless you're sure what they are and where they came from. You might want to avoid using public wifi for sensitive activities, and turn off location services. And if you haven't done so already, you should enable Find My iPad through Settings.

Bottom Line

Apple’s excellent security features mean that the chances of your iPad, Mac, or any apple device getting hacked are pretty low. Meanwhile, while it can happen, there are steps you can take to recover control — and to make sure that your device is as well-protected as possible in future.