Can iPads Get Malware?

Not only can iPads get malware but so can the rest of your devices. Although the chances of your iPad getting malware are small, it is still possible. To understand exactly what the implications of your iPad getting malware are, first we need to learn what malware is.

Malicious software, more commonly referred to as malware, is a type of software that infects your device in many different ways. For example, your device can become infected when you click on a phishing link or download a dangerous file disguised as a free game or movie.

Continue reading to learn how to spot phishing messages and malicious websites, and how to protect your iPad from getting infected with malware.

Signs your iPad has malware

If you are unsure whether or not your iPad has malware, check the list below to see if any of these apply to your device:

• Your iPad battery gets drained faster than usual
• You are using more data on your iPad than normal
• Your iPad overheats when you use it
• Your iPad acts slower, and webpages take longer to load
• Your iPad glitches more frequently

How malware can get on your iPad

Before we learn how malware can get on your iPad specifically, let’s figure out how malware can get onto any of your devices. Generally, victims of malware attacks are targeted through different types of social engineering, such as phishing and other psychologically manipulative tactics. Once the cybercriminal deceives a victim into downloading malware, cybercriminals gain access to the victim’s private information. Here are some of the ways malware can get on your iPad.

Malicious websites

One of the many ways malware can get on your iPad is if you accidentally click on a malicious website. Cybercriminals purposefully create malicious websites to appear like the website you are looking for to trick you into believing it’s real. If you look closely at the malicious website’s address, more commonly known as the URL, you might notice a minor change like a different letter or number than the legitimate website’s address. The goal of these malicious websites is to make you share login information, financial account information and more, by pretending to be the website you frequently use. 

Clicking malicious links or attachments

Clicking on malicious links and attachments is another way that you can become a victim of malware attacks. If you receive an email or message with a suspicious link or attachment, it’s safer not to click on it at all. Otherwise, you could risk accidentally exposing your personal information or downloading malware on your iPad and other devices.

Downloading unsafe software

Another way your iPad can get infected by malware is by downloading software from a third-party source. Cybercriminals can trick victims into downloading software, especially if it is marked as free. For your iPad, one of the safest things you can do is download your apps from the App Store. When you try to download games or movies for free from third-party sources, those files may have malware that can infect your device.

How to remove malware from your iPad

If you suspect that your iPad has been infected by malware, here are some easy tactics you can follow to try and remove it:

• Clear your search history and web browser’s cache
• Restart your iPad to prevent the malware from doing further damage
• Uninstall unfamiliar or suspicious apps that might have malware on them
• Restore your iPad from a previous iCloud backup from before malware infected your device
• Factory reset your iPad, then restore from a backup (only do this if nothing else works)

Tips on keeping your iPad malware-free

Since we know there is always a chance of any of your devices becoming infected by malware, it’s important to be aware of the ways to keep your iPad malware-free.

If you receive a suspicious link or attachment, check if the link or attachment is safe before clicking on it. You can test the safety of a link or attachment without clicking in a variety of ways:

• Hover your mouse over the link to get a preview of the URL, and see if the link you would be clicking on is legitimate
• Copy and paste the link into a URL checker without clicking on the link
• Check who the sender of the email attachment is by looking at their email address
• Never open email attachments that are marked in your spam folder
• Install antivirus software to remove viruses and malware before they infect your device

Protect your iPad from malware

Malware can infect any of your devices, so it’s important to be prepared and know what you can do to keep your iPad and other devices safe. By being familiar with the common signs of your iPad having malware, you will hopefully be able to quickly remove it. 

Since malware can also impact your login credentials, it is important to store your passwords securely with a password manager. Keeper® can help you identify phishing websites, which can prevent your devices from getting infected with malware. Sign up for a free 30-day personal trial of Keeper Password Manager to see how you can keep your devices safe.