Still Hacked- Gotta Take Care of It!

Savittre · Post by **Savittre** » Sat May 09, 2020 6:05 pm

Hi All,
I have posted here before that my computer has been hacked. I got good info here, that said, my machine is still hacked!

I’ve tried to contact a computer shop in P.P., but can’t get through. Just an auto-message in Khmer, I got a Khmer friend to tell me what it said. What it didn’t say is if they are open now or not. I will follow this up.

In the meantime, I have been trying to solve this problem myself. But it seems the hackers tech knowledge exceeds mine.

For this reason, I post now: Is there any *open computer shop in town, that has technicians who really able to take care of this iPad software problem? If so, I’ll go tomorrow! I’ll check here for the contact information in here and in my PM’s.

Failing that, there may be someone you know (maybe you!) who has enough expertise with Apple products to diagnose and resolve any outstanding issues with my machine.

These days, the ‘Net is more important than before, for obvious reasons.

I’m not an tech expert, nor am I a beginner. The tech challenge being faced here is not simple. I just say that so that if you know someplace or someone you think can handle it, they will really have to know their stuff!

Post by **Alexandra** » Sat May 09, 2020 6:44 pm

What kind of device is it? You say that your computer is hacked but then you talk about iPad software so it’s a little confusing.

v12 · Post by **v12** » Sat May 09, 2020 8:15 pm

OP seems to be so chaotic, it could very well be, s/he is not hacked at all, just a misunderstanding about the ongoings.

GMJS-440 · Post by **GMJS-440** » Sun May 10, 2020 3:01 am

Quote the posting history.

Irritable bowels, laxatives, colonoscopies, going vegan, loaning money to Shitsville guest houses and getting kicked out, now nonstop virus attacks.

Best of luck

Savittre · Post by **Savittre** » Sun May 10, 2020 6:25 am

Hi, Alexandra, Thanks for your reply! Yes, I’m using iPad. If my OP wasn’t clear about that, I was just trying to be clear that the issue is not to do with the hardware, but with the software.

And I just need a technician who has the knowledge to diagnose and solve this issue. I have done all I can, but without success.

Dogbreath · Post by **Dogbreath** » Sun May 10, 2020 6:45 am

Hi, did you try backing up and resetting? Sorry I can't be of more help. In the old days I would have just wiped all the software and reinstalled from the cd.

Savittre · Post by **Savittre** » Sun May 10, 2020 7:21 am

Hi Dogbreath,
Yes, I have erased all content and settings and did manual restore because I considered that if malware had been installed, it would be backed up, too.

It all went well until I put my Google stuff back on. At that time, I got a message that doing this was compromising my system.

I had been advised to change my Google accounts password, but I cannot access it as the password has been changed.

1984 · Post by **1984** » Sun May 10, 2020 7:30 am

You're the guy who refused the advice about going to a Mac shop and then did eventually go and see Craig, right?

You had some junky software installed.

Please tell us what this "cracked" behaviour is otherwise everyone is just guessing.

Dogbreath · Post by **Dogbreath** » Sun May 10, 2020 7:49 am

What happens when you access Gmail through the web portal as opposed to installing the app? After a reset without installing any Google other stuff.

1984 · Post by **1984** » Sun May 10, 2020 10:12 am

If a factory reset hasn't resolved the problem then it is either a software problem that is external to the device (e.g.someone has acees to your Gnail or other cloud account) or it is a very sophisticated piece of malware.

If the first, reset all passwords for all accounts and reset your 2 factor authentication.

If the second, bin the device and buy a new one.

Savittre · Post by **Savittre** » Sun May 10, 2020 11:16 am

1984 wrote: ↑
Sun May 10, 2020 7:30 am
You're the guy who refused the advice about going to a Mac shop and then did eventually go and see Craig, right?

You had some junky software installed.

Please tell us what this "cracked" behaviour is otherwise everyone is just guessing.

Hi 1984, to be clear, I *did* go to 2 Mac shops, but obviously without result, or I wouldn’t be posting now.

Craig did what he could, but in the end, he said he was ‘out of ideas.’

1984, if I had/have ‘junky software installed,’ please tell me why, when I erased all content and settings and did a *manual* reinstall, how could the ‘junky software’ still be on my machine?

Actually, I have 2 iPads, which I totally erased simultaneously. While reinstalling one, I got a message that iMessage and FaceTime (I’ve never used FaceTime) were in use by my other iPad- Which I hadn’t even reinstalled at the time!

How can that be?

To conclude to you with due respect, I’ve been doing all I can about this issue, and I feel I need a tech person/shop will *knows,* not guesses how to resolve this problem.

Thanks for your reply.

Post by **Alexandra** » Sun May 10, 2020 1:24 pm

Savittre wrote: ↑
Sun May 10, 2020 11:16 am
1984, if I had/have ‘junky software installed,’ please tell me why, when I erased all content and settings and did a *manual* reinstall, how could the ‘junky software’ still be on my machine?

It depends how you reinstalled the device. Did you flash the IPSW and the NOR of the baseband or did you do a factory reset to purge installed apps and changed settings?

I’m guessing you did a factory reset, which has reset the settings of the firmware installed. It hasn’t reinstalled the firmware installed.

Malware uses various levels to target devices. They don’t necessarily have to work like an app that you would download from the App Store or somewhere else, install and then uninstall to clear it.

Rootkits often go as deep as possible, infecting hardware and bootloaders to enable re-infection even if the user does a factory reset or reinstalls the main operating system.

Why do you think that it is your iPad that is hacked, and not your Gmail account through which they acquired your Apple ID?

If you’ve lost your Google account and you don’t have a way to restore it then forget regaining access to it. Create a new one.

Why exactly do you think that your iPad has been infected with something? What indications are there? Losing access to your Gmail is not an indication. You were probably phished.

What type of iPad is it? Which years model? Which version of iOS does it run?

You won’t find somebody that can diagnose it. Finding problems with your iPad is above their pay grade. You need to tell them what the problem is so that they can help you fix it.

delete · Post by **delete** » Sun May 10, 2020 1:45 pm

can you give us a clue what the symptons are that causes your concern

Arnstar · Post by **Arnstar** » Mon May 11, 2020 10:10 am

Try asking the question in the Apple community discussion forums.

https://discussions.apple.com/community/ipad