Technology
New cyberattack targets iPhone, Apple IDs. Here's how to stay safe
Attention iPhone owners: A serious cyberthreat is targeting Apple IDs, and it’s more crucial than ever to be on your guard. Security experts from Symantec have uncovered a sophisticated SMS phishing campaign designed to trick you into giving up your valuable Apple ID credentials.
GET SECURITY ALERTS, EXPERT TIPS – SIGN UP FOR KURT’S NEWSLETTER – THE CYBERGUY REPORT HERE
The mechanics of the attack
Here’s how the scam works: hackers send out text messages that look like they’re from Apple. These messages urgently request that you click on a link for an important iCloud update or verification. Symantec’s research shows these links lead to cleverly designed fake websites that ask for your Apple ID and password. To make the site seem legitimate, the attackers have even included a CAPTCHA.
Once you complete the CAPTCHA, you’re taken to what looks like an outdated iCloud login page, where you’re prompted to enter your credentials. This information is gold for cybercriminals because it grants them access to your personal and financial data and control over your devices.
Below is an email version of this same scam to avoid. Note the strange email return address originating from a non-Apple account, riddled with dashes and strange characters.
The email scam can claim that a user’s iCloud storage is full. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
Apple’s response and protective measures
Apple is aware of these tactics and has guidelines to help you stay protected. First and foremost, enable two-factor authentication on your Apple ID. This adds an extra layer of security by requiring a password and a six-digit verification code whenever you log in from a new device.
Remember, Apple will never ask you to disable security features like two-factor authentication or Stolen Device Protection. Scammers might claim this is necessary to resolve an issue, but it’s a trap designed to lower your defenses.
An iPhone scam uses text messages. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
Spotting phishing attempts
Phishing scams can be sneaky, but there are ways to identify them. Look closely at the URLs in any suspicious messages. Although the message might appear legitimate, the web address usually won’t match Apple’s official site. Also, be wary of any text that deviates from Apple’s typical communication style.
Symantec highlighted a specific phishing message as part of their warning on July 2. The fraudulent SMS read: “Apple important request iCloud: Visit signin[.]authen-connexion[.]info/iCloud to continue using your services.” Odd characters and unfamiliar domains are clear indicators of a scam.
iPhone users should enable two-factor authentication on their Apple ID. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
Broader scam tactics and how to avoid them
These phishing attempts aren’t just targeting Apple users. People have reported receiving messages similar to those from companies like Netflix and Amazon, claiming account issues or expired credit cards. These messages also direct you to click a link and enter your personal information.
The Federal Trade Commission advises that legitimate companies will never request sensitive information via text. If you receive a message like this, contact the company directly using a verified number or website, not the information provided in the text.
7 SIGNS YOU’VE BEEN HACKED
How to protect yourself from Apple text and email scams
1) Always use strong antivirus protection on all your devices
This is perhaps one of the best investments you can make for yourself to protect yourself from phishing scams. Having antivirus software actively running on your devices will make sure you are stopped from clicking on any malicious links or from downloading any files that will release malware into your device and potentially have your private information stolen. Read my review of my best antivirus picks here.
2) Don’t take the bait
Scammers often use alarming language to provoke immediate action. Phrases like “act now” or “important” are red flags. Stay calm and skeptical of any unsolicited messages.
3) Enable two-factor authentication on your Apple devices
Implementing multifactor authentication on your Apple ID can greatly enhance your security. Always verify the source of messages that claim to be from Apple. If you’re unsure, manually log into your account through the official Apple website or your iPhone settings instead of clicking any links.
4) Keep software up to date
Regularly update your operating system, web browsers and antivirus software to ensure they are equipped to detect and prevent the latest threats. You can regularly check for these updates on your device’s settings app for software updates, and you can go to your App Store or Google Play Store (depending on the device you have) to check for updates on individual apps. Follow these steps here.
2 BULLETPROOF STEPS TO HACK-PROOF YOUR MAC
What should you do if you’ve clicked a link and installed malware on your device?
If you’ve been hacked, it’s not too late. There are several ways you can protect yourself from hackers, even when they have access to your information.
1) Scan your device for malware
First, you’ll want to scan your computer with a reputable and legitimate antivirus program. See my expert review of the best antivirus protection for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices.
2) Change your passwords immediately
If you’ve inadvertently given your information to hackers or malicious actors, they could have access to your social media or banking accounts. To prevent this, you should change your passwords for all your important accounts as soon as possible. However, you should not do this on your infected device, because the hacker might see your new passwords. Instead, you should use ANOTHER DEVICE, such as your laptop or desktop, to change your passwords. Make sure you use strong and unique passwords that are difficult to guess or break. You can also use a password manager to generate and store your passwords securely.
3) Monitor your accounts and transactions
You should check your online accounts and transactions regularly for suspicious or unauthorized activity. If you notice anything unusual, report it to the service provider or the authorities as soon as possible. You should also review your credit reports and scores to see signs of identity theft or fraud.
4) Use identity theft protection
Phishing emails target your personal information. Hackers can use this information to create fake accounts in your name, access your existing accounts and pretend to be you online. This can cause serious damage to your identity and credit score.
To avoid this, you should use identity theft protection services. These services can track your personal information, such as your home title, Social Security Number, phone number and email address, and notify you if they detect any suspicious activity. They can also help you freeze your bank and credit card accounts to stop hackers from using them.
One of the best parts of using some services is that they might include identity theft insurance of up to $1 million to cover losses and legal fees and a white-glove fraud resolution team where a U.S.-based case manager helps you recover any losses. Read more of my review of the best identity theft protection services here.
5) Contact your bank and credit card companies
If hackers have obtained your bank or credit card information, they could use it to make purchases or withdrawals without your consent. You should contact your bank and credit card companies and inform them of the situation. They can help you freeze or cancel your cards, dispute any fraudulent charges and issue new cards for you.
6) Alert your contacts
If hackers have accessed your email or social media accounts, they could use them to send spam or phishing messages to your contacts. They could also impersonate you and ask for money or personal information. You should alert your contacts and warn them not to open or respond to any messages from you that seem suspicious or unusual.
7) Restore your device to factory settings
If you want to make sure that your device is completely free of any malware or spyware, you can restore it to factory settings. This will erase all your data and settings and reinstall the original version. You should back up your important data before doing this and only restore it from a trusted source.
HOW TO REMOVE YOUR PRIVATE DATA FROM THE INTERNET
Kurt’s takeaways
As cyberattacks become increasingly sophisticated, staying informed and cautious is crucial. Protect your Apple ID and personal information by following Apple’s security guidelines and being wary of unsolicited messages. By taking these precautions, you can safeguard your devices and data from malicious actors.
Have you ever been a victim of a cyberscam? If so, what happened and how did you recover? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.
For more of my tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading to Cyberguy.com/Newsletter.
Ask Kurt a question or let us know what stories you’d like us to cover.
Follow Kurt on his social channels:
Answers to the most asked CyberGuy questions:
Copyright 2024 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved.
Apple’s big developer conference is today, and protesters are using the occasion to call on the company to remove “nudify apps” from the App Store and pull “known” child sexual abuse material from iCloud.
Outside the visitors center at Apple’s Cupertino campus, protesters have put up a large sign saying “Apple is powered by child sexual abuse” and asking incoming CEO John Ternus, “What will you do?” The protesters come from UltraViolet, a women’s advocacy group, and Heat Initiative, a group that aims to “hold tech companies accountable for enabling and profiting from child sexual abuse.”
Apple and Google came under significant scrutiny earlier this year for continuing to keep apps like xAI’s Grok on their app stores even though users were able to make nonconsensual sexualized deepfakes. In pamphlets distributed at the protest, the organizations say that “at least 47 nudify apps have been found on Apple’s App Store” and that “Apple has made an estimated $117 million minimum from nudify apps,” including “an estimated $35+ million from Grok alone,” citing data from the Tech Transparency Project. UltraViolet also has a website dedicated to its protest today.
Apple previously scrapped plans to scan photos saved to iCloud for child sexual abuse imagery over privacy concerns.
Apple didn’t immediately reply to a request for comment.
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
You fire up your VPN, connect to a server and pull up the streaming service or website you were trying to reach. A few seconds later, you see the dreaded message: blocked. So you try again. Still blocked. Then you switch servers. Same result.
If this sounds familiar, you are not alone. VPN blocking has become much more aggressive over the past few years. The old VPN tricks that once worked reliably no longer always get the job done.
The good news is that there is usually one specific reason your VPN keeps failing. Even better, most people never think to address it.
Join CyberGuy Live: Lock Down Your Phone in 30 Minutes (Saturday, June 13, 10 am ET)
- Your phone holds your email, passwords, photos, banking apps and personal data. In this free, live online class, Kurt the CyberGuy will walk you step by step through simple phone security fixes you can do in real time. You’ll learn how to improve your privacy settings, spot the latest phone scams, use trusted security tools and walk away with a simple checklist to stay protected. Register here: CyberGuyLive.com.
STUCK BEHIND A VPN WALL? LET’S FIND A WAY AROUND IT
A VPN with modern protocols, obfuscation and DNS leak protection can help users avoid blocked connections and protect privacy. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
Why your VPN keeps getting blocked by websites
Platforms block VPNs in a couple of main ways. The most common method is IP address detection. VPN providers use large pools of IP addresses. However, over time, those addresses get flagged and added to blocklists.
That creates a cat-and-mouse game. Cheaper VPNs often lose that fight because they do not have the resources to rotate and refresh their IP pools often enough.
Beyond IP detection, some websites and networks use deep packet inspection, also known as DPI. This technology can identify VPN traffic even when the IP address itself has not been flagged yet.
Corporate networks, schools and countries with heavy internet restrictions often rely on this method. It can even catch some respected VPN services off guard.
Premium VPN providers avoid many of these issues because the service is built around a more advanced protocol that addresses the problem closer to the source.
Quick checks before you blame your VPN
Before you assume your VPN has failed, try a few simple checks. First, close and reopen the app or browser you are using. Then, make sure your VPN app is updated because older versions may not handle blocked networks as well.
THIS CHROME VPN EXTENSION SECRETLY SPIES ON YOU
Also, check whether your browser has location permissions turned on. If a website can access your device location, it may still figure out where you are, even while your VPN is connected.
The VPN fix most people miss
Here is where most people go wrong. When their VPN gets blocked, they do the obvious thing. They switch servers. Sometimes that works for a little while. However, if the real issue is DPI rather than IP blacklisting, changing servers will not solve the problem. That is because the traffic pattern itself gives you away.
The fix is obfuscation. In other words, your VPN needs to disguise its traffic so it looks like regular web browsing instead of VPN activity. Surprisingly, many VPN users have never heard of obfuscation. Even some VPN providers do not make it easy to use.
Obfuscated servers make your VPN traffic look like ordinary HTTPS web traffic. To a network monitoring tool or a streaming platform’s detection system, your connection looks like a regular browser session. There is no obvious VPN fingerprint to flag.
Obfuscation can help VPN traffic look like ordinary web browsing, reducing the chances that websites or networks will block the connection. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
A premium VPN handles this automatically. Its Lightway protocol is built with obfuscation in mind and adapts depending on the network you are using. You do not have to dig through settings or manually turn anything on.
If a network is aggressively blocking VPN traffic, Lightway adjusts to help get around it without making you do the hard work.
IS YOUR VPN ENOUGH WITHOUT ANTIVIRUS PROTECTION?
Why DNS leaks can expose your real location
There is one more thing worth checking: your Domain Name System (DNS) settings. Even when your VPN connection is active, DNS leaks can reveal your real location. A DNS leak happens when your device sends domain name requests outside the encrypted VPN tunnel. That means websites may see your actual internet provider and location, even though your IP address appears to be somewhere else.
In other words, your VPN may look connected, but part of your browsing activity may still be pointing back to your real internet provider.
Here is the simple way to check:
- Connect to your VPN.
- Open a browser and go to a trusted DNS leak test site.
- Run the test.
- Look at the results. If you see your regular internet provider, your VPN may be leaking DNS requests. If you see your VPN provider’s servers or a location tied to the VPN server, that is what you want.
You may also want to run a WebRTC leak test, especially if you use Chrome, Edge or Firefox. WebRTC is a browser feature that can sometimes reveal your real IP address. To check, stay connected to your VPN, open a WebRTC leak test page and look for your real public IP address. If your real IP appears, your browser may be leaking identifying information.
A premium VPN routes DNS queries through its own encrypted servers and includes built-in DNS leak protection. As a result, most users do not need to troubleshoot this manually. Still, running a quick leak test gives you peace of mind that your VPN is doing what it should.
Why choosing the right VPN makes a difference
Free VPNs and many budget options often share server infrastructure. That means their IP addresses can get flagged and blacklisted quickly.
Their servers may also be overcrowded. Their protocols may be outdated. Many also lack meaningful obfuscation, which leaves your VPN traffic easier to detect.
A premium VPN maintains thousands of servers across 110+ countries and works to keep those servers accessible, even on networks that try hard to block VPN traffic. It also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can try it and see whether it solves the blocking issues you keep running into.
ROUTER VPNS VS DEVICE VPNS: WHICH PRIVACY SOLUTION IS BEST FOR YOU?
Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson types on a laptop while explaining how shared VPN IPs can trigger blocks by banks, email providers and streaming sites, and how a dedicated IP can prevent this. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
What this means to you
If your VPN keeps getting blocked, the problem may go deeper than the server you picked. The website, streaming platform or network may be detecting the way your VPN traffic looks.
That is why obfuscation can make such a big difference. It helps your connection blend in with regular web traffic, which can reduce the chances of being flagged.
DNS leak protection also helps because your location can still slip through if your device sends requests outside the VPN tunnel.
In other words, a stronger VPN can help you stay connected, private and secure with far less frustration.
For the best VPN software, see my expert review of the best VPNs for browsing the web privately on your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices at CyberGuy.com.
Kurt’s key takeaways
When your VPN keeps getting blocked, switching servers may feel like the easiest fix. Sometimes it works for a short time. However, it often acts more like a temporary patch than a real solution. The better answer is to use a VPN with modern protocols, obfuscation and strong DNS leak protection. That combination helps hide the telltale signs that make websites and networks block VPN traffic in the first place. With a premium VPN, that technology works behind the scenes. You connect through the app, and the VPN handles the harder technical work for you. The result is a simpler experience: a more private, secure and open internet without constantly fighting blocked connections.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
Have blocked VPN connections made you rethink which VPN you use? Let us know by writing to us at CyberGuy.com.
Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report
- Get my best tech tips, urgent security alerts and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox.
- For simple, real-world ways to spot scams early and stay protected, visit CyberGuy.com – trusted by millions who watch CyberGuy on TV daily.
- Plus, you’ll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide free when you join.
Copyright 2026 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved.
We’ve seen Axiom Space and Prada’s collaboration on the Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit (AxEMU) spacesuit. Now the company has revealed the Liquid Cooling and Ventilation Garment (LCVG) that astronauts will wear underneath it when Artemis IV returns humans to the Moon in 2028.
The LCVG is the all-important base layer that will keep the crew cool and comfortable while inside the AxEMU and on spacewalks. Cold water is circulated through tubes embedded in the suit to whisk heat away from astronauts’ bodies. And, should the primary system fail, there is a backup, unlike older cooling suits. The LCVG also houses the ventilation system that supplies fresh oxygen to the AxEMU helmet and directs exhaled CO2 to a scrubber for recirculation.
The collaboration between Axiom Space and Prada isn’t the first time NASA has gotten involved with a project that blended high-tech materials and manufacturing with high-fashion design. It also funded the BioSuit concept created by MIT professor Dava Newman with help from renowned architect Guillermo Trotti.
-
Lifestyle3 minutes agoNPR’s new chief content officer: ‘I’ve been training for this job my whole life’
-
Technology15 minutes agoWWDC protesters want Apple to ban Elon Musk’s apps
-
World18 minutes ago‘You’re destroying your countries’: Is Europe finally heeding Trump’s warning on illegal immigration?
-
Politics23 minutes agoPlatner calls Fetterman ‘a–hole’ at town hall as Democratic feud heats up
-
Health30 minutes agoStudy reveals hidden gut factor that may make some people more susceptible to sepsis
-
Sports33 minutes ago2025-26 NBA Finals MVP Odds: KAT Chasing Brunson Atop Board
-
Technology38 minutes agoWhy your VPN keeps getting blocked and the simple fix
-
Business45 minutes agoTrump signs an executive order to vet top AI models for national security risks
