It will take you less than 30 seconds to scan your iPhone for these dangerous settings and erase all threats to your device and your data—with this last warning, you should do it today…
A new serious warning has been issued for iPhone users
A serious new warning circulating in Asia has warned Apple users of the risk of fake VPNs and device profiles on their iPhones—”users may be tricked into installing questionable apps via fake websites, text messages and links to malicious malware.” While the risks to most users are low, checking your device takes less than 30 seconds—so it’s worth the time.
This latest story broke after users were tricked into installing malware that accessed their bank accounts. While those who were targeted initially suspected that the problem might be a malicious power cable, in reality it was a dangerous profile that they had fraudulently installed. “Fraudsters often waited for the user to fall asleep before running malware to take control of the phone and open mobile banking apps to steal their victims’ accounts.”
As ESET’s Jake Moore warns, “when playing around with device management, you need to be extremely careful and confident in what you install. This is the closest users can get to editing the device’s configuration, but if it’s malicious, dangers can follow.”
For those unlucky enough to get it wrong, a dangerous profile would theoretically allow remote access to your device—certainly creating a potential vulnerability. And while Apple locks down its own devices much more tightly than Android equivalents. EU-inspired DMA changes for app installations outside of Apple’s own ecosystem will increase the likelihood of such risks.
Apple has publicly warned of just that: “DMA requires changes that bring… new avenues for malware, fraud and scams, illegal and harmful content, and other threats to privacy and security. These changes also threaten Apple’s ability to detect, prevent, and take action against malicious apps on iOS, and to support users affected by issues with apps downloaded outside the App Store.”
“VPN & Device Management” settings.
Go to “Settings-General-VPN & Device Management” and make sure you recognize all the profiles you find there. If you are sure that the profile is no longer needed or it is something that should not be on your phone in the first place, you can simply delete/remove it.
In addition to allowing VPNs to be installed, these configuration settings form a key part of the mobile device management (MDM) options that allow businesses such as schools and businesses to securely manage device permissions within their networks. This is becoming more and more necessary with the increasing use of the bring your own device (BYOD) policy.
Checking that there are no unauthorized VPNs or device profiles on your device is exactly the kind of good maintenance that a more open ecosystem warrants. But make sure the profiles are not associated with your school or company before deleting them. As Apple warns, “if you delete a profile, all settings, apps, and data associated with the profile are also deleted.”
“Organizational policies are standard, but with open ecosystem changes, the potential for rogue capabilities to be released increases,” says Moore. “But with the increase in the use of VPNs and BYOD, surrendering such capabilities and even some degree of ownership are becoming more normal.”
If there is a profile that you recognize but no longer use, you should delete that as well. It is not good device management to leave dormant vulnerabilities in place. This means that old VPNs that you no longer use can be deleted. As for which VPNs to keep, the usual advice applies – they’re only safe if they are safe. Only use VPNs from reputable developers you know. Avoid the free ones.
And as Moore advises, “it’s worth revisiting your VPN and device management settings regularly to see what’s authorized and if there’s anything out of the ordinary, then it needs to be investigated or deleted.”