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Here are some key ways to keep your phone virus free: Download Kaspersky Security Cloud for iOS
You know how iPhones can get viruses, you know how to manually remove malware, but do you know how you can prevent your iPhone from malware in the first place? To do this, go to ‘settings’ > ‘general’ > ‘reset’ > ‘erase all content and settings’.
If all else fails, return your phone to factory settings making sure you back files up first. Keep trying earlier backup versions until you find one that does not have the problem and is malware free.
When this happens for no reason it means your phone may be infected with malware. Unfamiliar apps may be a sign of malware.
Viruses are malicious bits of computer code that replicate themselves. Watch this video about how to know if your iPhone was hacked, how to remove a hacker from your iPhone and prevent future hacking: Why are iPhone viruses so rare? Learn more about other security threats iPhone users may face in our article Vulnerabilities in the iPhone.
So, while the answer to the question “Can iPhones get viruses?” is ‘generally not’, iPhones have been known to get viruses, albeit rarely (and more likely if they have been jailbroken). This may sound appealing but jailbreaking your iPhone may leave it less secure - there have been malicious programs that have affected jailbroken iPhones. For example, the ability to customize how the system looks, delete pre-installed apps and download apps from places other than the App Store. The backstreet practice of jailbreaking iPhones gives users more control of the operating system.
Apple takes issue with jailbreaking and seeks to patch vulnerabilities in iPhones that allow it to happen.
It involves obtaining root privileges which bypass the security restrictions that normally limit the operation of software on the device. Jailbreaking an iPhone is a bit like unlocking it - but less legitimate. While generally secure, one of the ways iPhones may become vulnerable to viruses is when they are ‘jailbroken’.