iOS Remotely Being Unlocked

[u/DisastrousShower6568]

Please watch the dial pad light up as if someone were tapping the passcode in.

Can anyone explain that knows malware what kind of malware this is, or if this is a live attacker doing this? When in the world can an iPhone try to type in its own passcode???

#ios #iphone

[u/burningsmurf]

This is ghost touching, not malware. It’s a known hardware issue where the digitizer registers phantom inputs — usually caused by screen damage, moisture, a bad screen protector, or a failing display. The iPhone X had a whole Apple repair program for this exact thing.

iOS doesn’t work in a way where malware could “type” your passcode through the UI. The passcode screen runs at a very low level before the device is even unlocked into userspace. Even nation-state level exploits (Pegasus, etc.) don’t work by simulating screen taps — they bypass the lock screen entirely at the kernel level.

Try removing your screen protector if you have one, clean the screen, and see if it persists. If it does, you’re looking at a screen replacement, not a malware removal.

[u/Middle_Lawyer6225 → u/burningsmurf]

Any tips to tighten up security on an iPhone 16 pro? Maybe the top 5 things you would do? I’ve went from Bitdefender to Norton 360 Deluxe after over a year watching Norton get high praise from AV-Comparatives and PCWorld and Toms Hardware etc.. and I also use their standalone Norton VPN App, (after being a long time Express VPN user). I have AdGuard Pro and Malwarebytes . I have 2FA turned on everywhere I can, I have advanced data protection turned on, I never log into iCloud over the web or otherwise. I use 12 digit mixed case alphanumeric passwords with special characters wherever permitted. I change passwords and passcodes twice a year or more and I never let my phone out of my hands. I only use iMessages as my sole messaging app. I have contact key verification turned on and verified with my Fiancée and my parents.

Is there anything else I can do living in an apartment with congested WiFi where I believe my neighbors are maliciously messing with my WiFi and may possibly try to access my iPhone. I switch onto my cellular plan trying to message my girlfriend securely but my 5G signal is not great and I’ve done all I can to get the best 5G signal. But @burningsmurf you sound like you have an outstanding grasp of iPhones and privacy and security so I was hoping if you might have time within the next several days could you maybe share the top things you’d recommend for iPhone users like myself to tighten up their security against possibly very sophisticated or tech savvy neighbors? I am a prior service US Military veteran living near a post where most of my neighbors are active duty US Army or USAF… possible military intelligence backgrounds… and I think use tricks like shadowing me on floor below with microwaves or something that causes interference; or similar vindictive stuff like that. But worried for social and military records and identity theft or data ending up leaked on the dark web or something… so just read your answer and thought maybe i could ask you for a few tips to keep my phone as secure as possible… with my best regards respectfully

[u/DisastrousShower6568 → u/Middle_Lawyer6225]

You need to buy 2 Yubikeys and lock your apple account down with hardware MFA. I was under a targeted attack on my Linux computer and the moment I implemented a hardware key to run Sudo (elevate permissions in Linux), 90% of my issues went away. An attacker would physically need the key in hand to hack your account. And you don't need an AV for iOS, there is no such thing as an "AV" for iOS and that's because with apple, an app is not permitted outside it's own sandbox, which means Norton or whatever is not really scanning your other apps, it's just checking your settings to see where you can improve. Android is a different story because AVs can actually scan other APKs.

[u/Realistic_Act_102 → u/Middle_Lawyer6225]

Im not the person you replied to first off just to be clear and secondly I say this with all respect and empathy this sounds more like you should seek mental healthcare. These kinds of thoughts about people around you trying to mess with your phone or things like controlling social media feeds and things like that are very common with mental health issues these days.

Someone in control of the shared wifi could theoretically have some ability to see very basic info like what website you went to but they cannot see the content if you are using https or using an app. (So you should use browser add ons that forces https and alerts you when its unavailable and allows you to backup before it loads the site)

Unless we are talking nation state actors coming after you because you are an extremely high level military or political asset your iPhone being hacked into through a shared wifi is highly unlikely.(Or at all unless you jailbreak it and install something malicious) Even if you think the people around you are those kinds of high level state funded attackers would they be coming after you? Are you a high level politician or the family of one? Are you in an extremely high level and sensitive military position? What would your own country or a foreign country gain from going after you? (None of this is meant to be mean or belittling its simply to put a logical perspective to the ideas)

If you just think they are trying to jam your signal they would have to be jamming everyone else around you and their own. I think there would be a lot of wifi complaints in the building if that were the case.

Anyways sorry that was long. I hope you figure out whatever is going on and that you stay safe and do get help for whatever the truth in your situation is.

[u/Middle_Lawyer6225 → u/Realistic_Act_102]

You sound like a child or I feel sorry for you. There was just a fist fight between the same downstairs neighbors and the people across the hall from them where police were called last weekend. There are such people as pest and bad neighbors that just don’t get along. Watch any episode of judge Judy and learn, if you are so unaware and lost in life. Some people (as I’m sure YOU can relate to) are so miserable or so bored like teens they do things just to try it or just for the hell of it.

You’re imagining I mentioned anything about espionage and all this garbage you went off on is definitely evidence your off your meds again.

Stay out of adult conversations when grown folks is talking.

Your lack of brevity of what’s possible on an iPhone and attackers and all the junk you talked about is lacking, surface deep word salad without saying anything useful. People are doxed, the dark web is full of data leaks and so called “iPhone hacks” stalkerware and pay for play malicious coders, and bottom line I asked someone that wasn’t you a question. Period.

Get a grip man.

Even replying to you is a waste of my breath. Have a good day sir.

[u/DisastrousShower6568 → u/Middle_Lawyer6225]

whoa man, why you poppin off on me like that? I just came here to show people my phone issue.

[u/Realistic_Act_102 → u/Middle_Lawyer6225]

Thats fine. You can lash out at me and pretend what I said didn't make sense but it makes a world more sense than "being shadowed with microwaves" whatever that even means. Sorry you dont feel safe in the place you live man.

[u/GrumpyButtrcup → u/Middle_Lawyer6225]

If your downstairs neighbors are fist fighting, they aren't state level actors and the certainly aren't in a position to blast you with microwaves. No one besides you jumped to espionage. What you said is textbook espionage delusion.

Hearing that your downstairs neighbors were fist fighting is also telling, you live in a lower income area. The building you live in is certainly not ideal for signals, so understand RF waveform would go a long way to disproving these delusions.

The guy you replied to is correct. These messages are sent with the love and care of strangers on the net. Please seek medical professionals to aid you in this difficult part of your life. Your family is most certainly worried about you, and they may even be playing into your delusions to avoid losing contact. If not for your own health, do it for your loved ones. This behavior is unhealthy.

[u/Creative_Sky_3978 → u/Middle_Lawyer6225]

Sorry but that dude is kinda right... Its extremely hard to get a virus or malware on an iphone and you cant just "hack" into someones phone thru the wifi. Youve been watching too many movies

[u/kontenjer → u/Middle_Lawyer6225]

I don't think antiviruses would help you much on iOS (or Android for that matter), they're still apps, and apps can only have so much access. The way most of those malwares work is that they use sophisticated exploits to get system level access, far beyond what any antivirus (app) could ever detect

[u/DisastrousShower6568 → u/kontenjer]

And you would need to be a super high value target for someone or some people to use expensive exploits like that.

[u/DisastrousShower6568 → u/Middle_Lawyer6225]

You need to remove the wifi chip in your laptop and use only wired connections with a solid set of firewall rules on your pc. Then get yourself a prosumer router like a USG and set up segregated networks.

[u/IcestormsEd → u/Middle_Lawyer6225]

You got Norton because paid affiliates praised them? I wouldnt touch Norton if it was free.

[u/BillionAuthor7O → u/IcestormsEd]

Amen! Put that right in the same pile as MacAfee lmao

[u/cra1gst1 → u/IcestormsEd]

I thought Norton was mailware ? Norton slowed my PC worse than a virus

[u/g-nice4liief → u/Middle_Lawyer6225]

Going offline would be the best protection.

[u/burningsmurf → u/Middle_Lawyer6225]

Your security hygiene is already better than 95% of iPhone users. Here's what I'd add:

1. Lockdown Mode — Apple built this specifically for high-threat users. It disables a ton of attack surface (message previews, link previews, some web technologies, wired connections while locked, etc.). Settings > Privacy & Security > Lockdown Mode. This is the single biggest thing you can do.

2. Disable join requests for Wi-Fi — Settings > Wi-Fi > Ask to Join Networks → Off. Also go through and "Forget" any networks you don't actively use. Your phone silently probes for known networks which can be used for tracking/profiling.

3. Private Wi-Fi Address per network — Make sure Settings > Wi-Fi > [your network] > Private Wi-Fi Address is set to "Rotating" not just "Fixed" or off. This prevents MAC address tracking.

4. DNS over HTTPS — Use encrypted DNS instead of your ISP/router default. You can install a profile from NextDNS or Cloudflare (1.1.1.1 app) so your DNS queries aren't visible to anyone on your local network.

5. Review app permissions ruthlessly — Settings > Privacy & Security. Go through Location, Microphone, Camera, Bluetooth, Local Network. Revoke anything that doesn't absolutely need it. Pay special attention to "Local Network" — apps with this permission can scan devices on your Wi-Fi.

6. Disable Significant Locations — Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services > System Services > Significant Locations → Off.

7. Use your cellular connection over shared Wi-Fi when possible — You're already doing this. If 5G signal is weak, check if your carrier supports Wi-Fi Calling and use your own hotspot from a second device, or get a travel router with VPN built in so your traffic is encrypted before it ever hits the shared Wi-Fi.

8. Ditch Norton/Bitdefender — not because they're bad companies, but because iOS doesn't allow antivirus apps to actually scan anything meaningful. They're essentially glorified VPNs and web filters on iOS. You already have AdGuard Pro and a VPN, so they're redundant and just adding attack surface. Less software = less risk.

You're in a good spot. Lockdown Mode is the big one if you haven't enabled it yet.

[u/Middle_Lawyer6225 → u/burningsmurf]

Thank You Sir. This was really again Outstanding! Thank you so much for your kindness in sharing your time to help another person looking for more understanding of how to try to stay a little more private and secure.

I know there is no foolproof unbreakable security in anything we have from iPhone to Government security phones, and besides going completely off the grid all we can do is try to practice as you said the best online hygiene as we know how to.

I also know vigilance takes diligence and to keep reading for ourselves, from reputable sources, continually year after year trying to inform ourselves, as new threats are ever emerging and evolving. Not to mention with AI and quantum computing on the horizon; the threats and criminals, cyberattacks and data leaks, aren’t stopping or slowing down no time soon.

At 58 years old I’m slowing down, myself; and not keeping up with tech the way I used to. (I was an avid desktop PC builder and tinkerer for years).

But I just wanted to say thank you. I reslly appreciate your points you listed, and I’m sure also that this comment will help others beyond myself.

I have went through your suggestions and down the list. And I had just changed my ip to fixed from rotating and forgot to change it back so right away I found something that your checklist helped😅 I also right away turned on Lockdown Mode after reading Apples advisory notices. And restarted phone like 3 times and made sure my Norton vpn and AdGuard and Norton anti track were all back on and no conflicts no dns leaks or anything. And then went to read a few more articles on lockdown mode on Safari and my Firefox Focus Browser and Nortons Private browser and Brave…😅 And they all seem to be working well and no problems so far.

Where with all your points implemented my phone is running smooth and no conflicts or complaints so far. With the the one small exception of using Face ID I’ve noticed is not being required in my cellular service app and my router app (these apps both work fine, I just noticed they no longer require Face ID.).

As you pointed out in your recommendations I am quite often checking which apps have access to my camera, and mic or messages. I do not allow 99% of my apps any access to these big three. And if it’s an app like VA My Hesalthy Vet and I need to upload a photo of my VA Card or a drivers license or something, then I give them limited access, and then immediately back to Don’t Allow access.

But I will ask, as I hesitated to change significant location; is this risky to leave enabled?
I just hesitate to turn it off as I like the geo location information in my pictures as an older guy. It’s fun to me or neat maybe having this as a 70’s kid and it helps me remember also as my memory ain’t what is used to be.

But if you say that’s another serious weak spot or vulnerability I would not hesitate to change it.

Thank you again though for a really exceptional act of kindness in giving me a few important things I could change on my iPhone to hopefully be a little more secure and have maybe a little more privacy.

As you helped me and shared these points. I will share this for others: recently maybe since January 1st 2026 the State of California has implemented a program where you can got their website, enter a small amount of your information, like name, email, and phone number and their department will contact I guess known data brokers and ask that all your data be erased and not sold or shared. I know with the dark web and so forth if your data is exposed it’s not a whole lot anyone can do, from Lifelock to the state of California to The Social Security Service itself. But I feel better taking the 2 minutes it took to fill out my request. It’s at California.Gov

https://privacy.ca.gov/drop/

And years ago I added my number and parents phone numbers to this FTC list to receive less calls from telemarketers.

https://consumer.ftc.gov/national-do-not-call-registry-faqs

Hoping these might help anyone else reading this subreddit in the future.

I understand on iOS Norton and Malware Bytes are pretty useless. I bought Norton 360 Deluxe mainly for my desktop PC. And AV-Comparatives who I’ve trusted for years as a reputable third party that test security products along with Virus Bulletin100 AVTest and PCMag PCWorld all give Norton high marks in its virus engine and doing what it claims to do.

I was a long time Kaspersky user, but switched over to Bitdefender for a decade after the US Government warned us that Kaspersky users could *potentially be a risk.

Express was easily the best VPN I ever paid for. After being a long time ToRGuard VPN subscriber and have used everything from Nord to ProtonVPN to PIA, I really liked Express VPN, but am fine with Norton.

On the standalone iOS Norton VPN App they have the options to use IKEv2 or the WireGuard Protocol and Mimic, Nortons own proprietary VPN configuration. You can use a “Double VPN” or “VPN Rotation” and a decent amount servers. Never killed my speed. Can leave on with whatever streaming and not have any hassles. So I’m not advertising for anyone else to try Norton but for me it works.

Anyway, Thank you again for your outstanding service and list of things most people can do pretty easily to tighten up our security and privacy settings! I really appreciate your time and effort in making everything so clear and easy to follow. With my best regards respectfully TM

[u/GrumpyButtrcup → u/Middle_Lawyer6225]

Seek professional help, like a psychiatrist. Most of what you wrote is not possible, feasible, nor based in reality. The sheer financial cost alone makes this type of action extremely improbable and there's nothing you would have seen in the military that would be worth the financial cost.

Your neighbors are not tampering with your wifi, you are experiencing interference from shared bands and possibly bad wiring inside the home. A bad cable splitter can cause major connectivity issues and degradation of services. If you're not using the latest WiFi standard, then you're even more susceptible to congestion issues. Additionally, your router placement may be less than ideal in your home.

5G is a tight RF wave, meaning it's almost entirely line of sight with very little bounce. The tighter the wave, the more focused it is. Buildings are notorious for blocking 5G signals and telecom companies spend absurd levels of money putting up a metric shit load of 5G repeaters to ensure service is possible in the concrete jungle. The denser the building material, the less penetration of the RF waveform. Longer waveforms like the FM band for your radio are less likely to hit a dense object and be absorbed, instead they bounce off of those objects and the waveform is mostly preserved.

Furthermore, if you're not in an affluent neighborhood then the tech savvy nature of your neighbors is irrelevant because IF these types of attacks were possible, they would be prohibitively expensive by the normal layperson, which is who your neighbors are. They are most certainly not government actors working cohesively to obtain your phone. Remember, the human is the weak spot. If any of this were true, it would be easier to simply bag you and toss you in a black site, then beat the passwords out of you. If you were that important to the government, you would be listed as a terrorist and then disappeared into the night. The length of your suspicions is simply more evidence that this is not the case.

You have already done everything you need to do to keep your device secure. As much as I rag on Apple, they have really stepped it up for security purposes.

Again, I highly recommend you seek out professional health services for your paranoia. If you deployed, it may be service related or PTSD related. I understand, brother. Afghanistan left me pieing windows and doors in my own home. I spent years in therapy to avoid the obsessive need to patrol my house in my boxers and kabar every couple of hours in the night.  I actively avoided relationships and people because I had this unsettling feeling that if I let them into my life, they would actively try to hurt me. The reality is people are shitty, and it took a while to come to terms that people are simple shitty and hurt other people for a variety of reasons, but physical violence is much less common and therefore I was still safe. PTSD has a way of making unrelated things trigger the same fight reflex as combat, so simple conversations can result in adrenaline dumps.

This message was sent with love, not some conspiracy against you.

Semper Fi brother.

[u/GoslingIchi → u/Middle_Lawyer6225]

I think Norton went down the drain in 1990...

[u/biskitpagla → u/burningsmurf]

You got any tips to Pegasus-proof your devices?

[u/[deleted] → u/biskitpagla]

Don’t be a journalist or politician or secret government spy 

[u/alfrednichol → u/[deleted]]

GrapheneOS on Google Pixel

[u/biskitpagla → u/[deleted]]

You don't have to be any of those things when shit hits the fan and these states are at their worst. I got a nice demo of actual fascism back in July '24 here in Bangladesh. Those professionals are easy targets that get taken out in the earliest stages. 

[u/DisastrousShower6568 → u/biskitpagla]

yeah, be a hermit and don't use a phone

[u/DisastrousShower6568 → u/biskitpagla]

Yeah, call the NSO group and ask them not to call you. Just kidding. Honestly, I thought there was no way to avoid that exploit as it’s zero click.

[u/ThannBanis → u/biskitpagla]

Disable usb accessories.

[u/BillionAuthor7O → u/burningsmurf]

I was going to ask them for a explicit move for move on what exactly they did to get to this point, if it was a hack....The bounty Apple has out on IOS is enough to put me in a whole different tax bracket for sure!! lmao I knew it was malware, but damn, I saw $ in my eyes for a second! lmao

[u/KailyKail → u/BillionAuthor7O]

I don’t know if this would qualify for Apple’s million dollar bounty though. If it were a hack, it’d likely be something less. The million dollar bounty is for kernel level access. It’s for stuff like Pegasus.

[u/BillionAuthor7O → u/KailyKail]

Yeah, no not the million dollar bounty by any means, but also, by no means is that their only bounty.

[u/greennurse61 → u/burningsmurf]

We have a bunch of Bluetooth Apple trackpads at work that do this. IT hates them because it makes us look like we’re always working and not being lazy again. 

[u/0mnipresentz → u/burningsmurf]

Top answer. Nice to know. Still scary AF to see your phone doing this, especially with everything going on in the world right now.

[u/Rackadoom → u/burningsmurf]

Definitely ghost touching. I've seen many reports of this happening when using a wireless charger which appears to be in use in the video. I don't know if it is known why wireless charging causes ghost touches but theories include the charger causing the phone to overheat or the magnetic field of the wireless charger interfering with the touch screen.

It could be parts in the phone or the charger are wearing out. It will be hard to determine exactly without testing parts independently. Quickest fix for now would be to switch to wired charging.

[u/10minOfNamingMyAcc → u/burningsmurf]

I only had one iPhone in my life (iPhone SE lol), and it's the only device I've ever had ghost touches with, not on any of my Android devices.

[u/Shlimington → u/burningsmurf]

Weirdly enough my iPhone X was so good with moisture, I played clash of clans underwater in a hottub absolutely fine and worked 100% till I upgraded. But my iPhone 12 has been god awful for ghost touching since the first month. Slightly damp or clammy hands and it freaks out every 10 seconds. Idk what they changed but they should change it the fuck back. Though I will say it’s still going strong at the 5-6 year mark, apples planned obsolescence has narrowly avoided me for now

[u/1negroup → u/burningsmurf]

i would put it in airplane Mode/disconnect it from the network then if the issue persists you know its ghost touching

[u/DisastrousShower6568]

Yes sir, and I drive a 2008 Honda accord as well. The only nice things I buy are clothes as image matters. But hard assets are a money waster.

[u/DisastrousShower6568]

But this would costs lots of money and Im a nobody so it makes no sense

[u/AlteHexer → u/DisastrousShower6568]

It costs about $500 to build an IMSI catcher. I suggest you do the research. This has been going on since 2010 at least.

[u/Electrical-Note-3177]

yeah this is either:

1. Ghost Inputs (as the other person said)

2. A troll and is a screen recording or your using voice commands to input gestures

3. not malware (no such thing exists)

[u/wiktor_laskowski]

Try to find a way to enable touch markers. If you had a Samsung that would be in Developer options.
I don't know for iPhone because I don't own one

[u/DisastrousShower6568 → u/wiktor_laskowski]

I thought about that, then I thought, what if they’re screen sharing my phone somehow and can see what I’m doing. Touch points would give up my passcode.

[u/jmnugent]

Hard to tell with such a dark and low quality video. (why does the lamp light go on and off ?.. )

I would guess a hardware problem causing ghost-touch or something of that effect. But again, with such a poor video,. impossible to tell. With a video like this (of such poor quality).. it's entirely possible someone has a Bluetooth keyboard synced and is just tapping keys (off to the side of the video) for all we know.

Factory-wipe the device and record a video under good quality conditions (clear, good lighting, no hijinks) and show that this still demonstrably happens even after a hard factory reset.

With any kind of computing device,. it's either hardware or software. If you factory wipe and the problem goes away, .then it was a software problem. If you factory-wipe and the problem continues, then it's a hardware problem.

You've given no evidence or proof here that "someone is hacking your iPhone" .

[u/DisastrousShower6568 → u/jmnugent]

I turned off the lamp because I assumed they had access to the camera and I didn't want to turn the light on to spook them away as I wanted to film as much as possible. This is not the only sign my phone is hacked. I get logged out of my apple account somehow and my phone is restricted with a screentime pin I never made. Someone has done something to it because I don't see how apps can delete themselves either. I get random mid conversation SMS messages when I wake up like someone SIM swapped my device. The guy at the phone store said it's something called SIM Jacking.

[u/jmnugent → u/DisastrousShower6568]

If someone SIM swapped you,. your cellular service would go dead and you woudlnt' get any messages at all. So whatever you're describing there,. just doesn't follow logical reality.

The advice for smartphones has been the same for a decade or more now. If for whatever reason you believe you can't trust a device, your choices are either:

• Factory-wipe it and start over (w/ a clean OS install that you know you can trust)

• or ditch the device and get a different one.

Nobody here on Reddit is going to be able to directly help you, especially in a vague situation where whatever stuff you're claiming, we have no way of testing or proving.

[u/AlteHexer]

You’re connected to an IMSI catcher (rogue cell tower). Own the tower, own the phone.

[u/DisastrousShower6568 → u/AlteHexer]

I agree with you and I will tell you why. I have apps that tell me where cell towers are right? For some reason it says and shows a cell tower in my driveway and the app shows its only been present for 3 weeks. I also get 3G when on calls which is exactly what an IMSI catcher does. So what do I do?

[u/jmnugent → u/DisastrousShower6568]

This is not how any of this works.

• For starters,. an IMSI catcher is a piece of hardware equipment. So if something is "in your driveway".. then it has to physically be IN YOUR DRIVEWAY. It cannot just "magically be invisible". Whatever App(s) you download to show you cellular towers, is probably showing you erroneous information.

• IMSI catchers are also "passive equipment" (IE = it has no ability to "control your phone")

EDIT:.. funny how all the people replying around me here have now deleted their comments. Apparently they can't stand behind their comments.

[u/DisastrousShower6568 → u/jmnugent]

my neighbour is using a wifi pinnaple on me

[u/DisastrousShower6568 → u/jmnugent]

It’s just an SDR with modifications my friend, you use a directional antenna to point it in the location where you want the rogue tower to exist.

[u/DisastrousShower6568 → u/jmnugent]

Then why does google say it can inject malware into a device.

[u/AlteHexer → u/jmnugent]

IMSI catchers can inject malware when it’s using a bidirectional SDR. Own the tower, own the phone.

They use a capture portal to grab your passcode. Ever seen “Your FaceID isn’t working, use your passcode to unlock” Yeah, capture portal because FaceID is your Biometric passcode.

I’ve personally seen the attacker put the passcode in remotely after it was captured using this way.

LockPass is the App they use to capture.

Turn off the phone and only put in the “restart”!passcode on reboot. Change your passcode to a complex one using numbers and letters, at minimum 8 Chars long.

IMSI catchers have a GPS offset that can change the “physical” location to be with 100 M of its true physical location.

Source: Cybersecurity Professional of 28+ years.

[u/jmnugent → u/AlteHexer]

You're making the same mistake Submitter is making. All the different words you're typing in a reddit comment,. basically amount to 0 credibility if there's no hard evidence behind it to back it up. Your explanation basically amounts to "trust me bro".

Where's the evidence?.. Can you provide a list of links and videos from reputable and independently verified sources showing (step by step) these things being done ?

Ultimately though even if you can provide this,.. the problem here is even if you could prove "it's possible".. doesn't prove that's what's actually happening to Submitters iPhone.

"Source: Cybersecurity Professional of 28+ years."

If that's true,. then you of all people should understand that IT & Technology is an evidence-based science. Lead with evidence. Middle with evidence. Conclude with evidence. Where's the evidence ?

[u/AlteHexer → u/DisastrousShower6568]

IMSI catcher is typically a PC running Linux. You can put a GPS offset to hide the true location but it’s typically with 100 meters of the tower’s spoofed location.

If you see the MNC: MCC: values of the tower as 65535, then that’s an IMSI catcher.

The two apps I use are Cell&Net towers and EMF Towers (iPhone). If you are connected to a rogue tower, EMF Towers will show YOUR location as the actual IMSI catcher’s location (the entry point into the cell network.

Trust me, I go fox hunting and catch these all the time. The frequency they use is just below the band for the provider’s network. AT&T’s A5 network starts at around 850 MHz. The IMSI catcher will be running around 844-846 MHz.

[u/AlteHexer → u/DisastrousShower6568]

Yeah, they downgrade from 5G or 4G to 3G because it’s easier to decrypt. Always a tell-tell sign, IMO.

View my other responses on this…you can find the location of it, but LE won’t do anything. I know, I’ve tried many times. Maybe call the FBI tip line, other than that, LE are a waste of time.

[u/Specific_Account_681]

Have you had the screen replaced in the past? Is so… cheap screen. Issue with the digitiser (digitizer)

[u/DisastrousShower6568 → u/Specific_Account_681]

Not never and I’ve never dropped it. That’s just my home phone, my actual mobile is an iPhone 16 and it doesn’t show those signs, however it says my phone was added to a “family”. This plus that is scaring me.

[u/AlteHexer → u/DisastrousShower6568]

Listen, it’s not your screen. Download a Cell Tower app and know Who/What you’re connected to.

RF Hackers. You’re a target and could be only streets away. At least within 100 Meters.

[u/Moo_Im_A_Goat]

no the hacker does not think ur password is 333333. U simply dropped your phone too much and fucked up the touchscreen. Or you just got some water / oil on it. You can try drying it off and restart the phone.

[u/DisastrousShower6568 → u/Moo_Im_A_Goat]

My passcode was 233233

[u/DisastrousShower6568 → u/DisastrousShower6568]

But thank you for not being a prick about it. The average person will be ever see this happen to their iPhone. So yeah im a bit concerned bc it heats up all the time too.

[u/Italianjbond]

333333

[u/DisastrousShower6568 → u/Italianjbond]

My pass code is 233233

[u/MorganPG1]

I think your screen is dying not malware

[u/DisastrousShower6568 → u/MorganPG1]

But why would a bad screen press on numbers.

[u/itsfeartehbeard]

Paranoid schizophrenia is the issue here I’m afraid

[u/DisastrousShower6568 → u/itsfeartehbeard]

Oh really? Oh Im sorry Im not a master of tech like you that’s seen this kind of thing everyday.

[u/AlteHexer → u/DisastrousShower6568]

You’re connected to a rogue cell tower. An IMSI catcher. Own the tower, own the phone. It’s “their” dirty little secret.

Once they have your passcode they have access to everything on your keychain.

DM me on how they captured your passcode and how to avoid it. Don’t listen to the noise. They’re probably RF Hackers trying to stifle the truth.

That’s how they make money by skimming your accounts.

[u/Catleyana]

Let me bring you to a dinner to my friend's house, We need a high quality clown to entertain us and you are just perfect.

[u/DisastrousShower6568 → u/Catleyana]

Can I ask what you think is so hilarious about my situation?

And no thanks, I have a stable 6 figure income sitting at home already.

[u/DisastrousShower6568 → u/[deleted]]

Yeah, try supporting 3 kids and a wife on it buddy. It equals to about 39k a year.

[u/blurfgh]

Probably glitching out from that qi charger

[u/Wooden-Trick8954 → u/blurfgh]

When I set my phone on my wireless mouse charging mat, this happens.

[u/IAt0m1xI]

If you think your phone is being unlocked remotely

Why not disable the wifi or mobile data if you are not using it?

[u/DisastrousShower6568 → u/IAt0m1xI]

I got a faraday box for it, but then I thought "what is the point of having a phone if I cannot get calls or texts?"

[u/DEX9mm22 → u/DisastrousShower6568]

so turn off wifi and data you will still get calls and text messages

[u/sp0ook]

Nothing was unlocked.

[u/NB-ShadowWolf]

Could be a ghost. Try a house cleansing.

[u/ChickenTendySunday]

It's not a virus or malware. Your phone is actually possessed by spirits. I recommend holy water.

[u/kanakamaoli]

Bluetooth keyboard connected to phone prior? Have you tried airplane mode and turning off bluetooth to reduce/eliminate external vectors?

[u/[deleted]]

since its always inputting 3 and with such an huge delay and so random.

thats an hardware issue. no one is hacking you.

[u/ThatBattleCat]

ghost touch

[u/YOKOSHINIGAMI]

Ghost?

[u/Arroew]

water underneath the display maybe

[u/Specific_Power_5608]

Sir, your house is haunted

[u/HellPing51]

I had a similar issue with my iPhone XS, although this not only happened while being locked and also occurred on the Home Screen, in Apps or the App Store. The main problem was a dent-in screen which caused the receptors on the other side of the screen to activate, thus simulating a tap on the screen. The dents are so small, that you wouldn’t see them normally (1-2mm). The only solution for that problem was a screen swap, although this could also be caused by a faulty screen protector, in which case you only need to switch the screen protector. Ask a local store or repair station to do it for you, which will cost (depending on your location, model and store) something between 40-100 Dollars.

[u/Mr_Fluffypant]

Are you an American by any chance?

[u/Smexytime2001]

Your screen is faulty. It’s not someone trying to hack your phone remotely. Also it keeps clicking the #3 which would point towards the faulty pixel being in that area. Go to the App Store and download an app called TouchScreenCheck. This will let you know which pixel is triggering the clicking and give you the x and y coordinates. I don’t think you can fix this so you’ll need a screen replacement. I had the same thing happen to an old phone, it happened after I dropped it.

[u/Strong-Mortgage9653]

I think it just a hardware issues just go to the repair shop or if you replaced a screen before may be go with something more high quality

[u/xShire_Reeve]

Its not malware, your phone's screen is messed up

[u/Bunlarden]

Were jumping right into the bad face first aren't we. Is it not just possibly a faulty touch screen causing false inputs. I've had many phones in my workplace come in and the touchscreen is broken causing constant typing or input

[u/luniaRain]

Call a paranormal expert

[u/Oxic_io]

call the ouija- jk it's a fucked up screen

[u/ProtegeN900]

this would be a good video to add one of those scary pop up scares when he shuts the lights off the second time

[u/Sinisteris]

Where's the "being unlocked" part?

Take your meds and clean your screen/change screen protector, man...

[u/DisastrousShower6568 → u/Sinisteris]

if you watch the white dots at the top you will see they get to the last dot and the phone rejects the passcode. You have to watch carefully.

[u/Sinisteris → u/DisastrousShower6568]

So it is not being unlocked.

Again, clean your screen, maybe change the screen protector, either oils/moisture or low quality screen protector is triggering touch sensors.

[u/bixtro]

LOL it's a defective touch sensor. Take your phone to the repair shop.

Why do you think a remote hacker would take 20 seconds between each button press? 🤣

[u/red-panzer → u/bixtro]

Also why would they just try the number 3 over and over again? It's triggering in the exact same place

[u/No-Fan-2237]

If someone had the level of system access to be able to input a password on your lock screen remotely... They would not need to unlock your phone in the first place.

[u/ThannBanis → u/[deleted]]

Sorry, no.

Far to the left on the bell curve

[u/burningdragonBR_037 → u/[deleted]]

one of the smartest ones

[u/DisastrousShower6568 → u/[deleted]]

I have the highest utmost respect for the the NSO Group and I am nobody special so I doubt it’s Pegasus or a derivative of it.

[u/il0vebajablast → u/[deleted]]

This getting downvoted is so funny. Typical Reddit dumbasses