is malware trying to attack my phone?

I have some blocked connections that have shown up on my iPhone. These are urls I have never seen - I presume they are trying to connect to me and web protection says it's malware. This doesn't feel good. How are they connecting to me and does it mean I am susceptible if web protection is off? Do I need to change my IP address?

Is there a way I can permanently block those sites from ever trying to connect with me?

thank you very much!

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Accepted answers

Flexx

https://community.bitdefender.com/en/discussion/comment/350835#Comment_350835

• Must I always ensure that web protection is "on" in order to block these connections?

Yes, Web Protection must be enabled for Bitdefender to actively block malicious or fraudulent websites. It works in real time, preventing access to harmful domains. If it’s turned off, those protections won’t be active.

• Is there a way to blacklist sites such as these?

You can use Bitdefender Parental Control in your Bitdefender Central account to block specific websites, but it's important to know which sites should be blocked and which should not. However, you can still rely on Bitdefender Web Protection to automatically block malicious websites. If you come across a website that you suspect is phishing, a scam, or malicious, you can report it to Bitdefender malware researchers, who will update the database accordingly.

If you believe that a website or file is not being detected by Bitdefender as malicious or phishing, please report it to our malware research team using the form provided at the link below:

https://www.bitdefender.com/consumer/support/answer/29358/

If the website or file is found to be malicious or phishing, detection will be added within a maximum of 72 hours. However, if no detection is created after 72 hours, the website or file will be considered safe, as determined by our malware researchers.

• is changing my IP address at the ISP level beneficial?

It depends. If your current IP is linked to suspicious activity, blacklists, or targeted attacks, requesting a new one from your ISP can help. However, it won’t enhance security unless you’re dealing with direct attacks or privacy concerns. A VPN is a better option for masking your IP if that’s your goal. You can also use https://www.virustotal.com/ to check if your IP is associated with any malicious activity.

However, keep in mind that VirusTotal primarily scans files, URLs, and domains, so its IP reputation checks might not be as comprehensive as dedicated threat intelligence services like https://www.abuseipdb.com/ or https://www.ipvoid.com/

Regards

Flexx

https://community.bitdefender.com/en/discussion/comment/350847#Comment_350847

Bitdefender Web Protection and Bitdefender VPN serve different purposes, but they can conflict if both are trying to manage your network traffic simultaneously. Here’s a breakdown to clarify:

Bitdefender Web Protection: This feature focuses on safeguarding your web browsing by blocking malicious websites, protecting against phishing attempts, and ensuring safe online transactions. It operates within your regular internet browsing sessions.
Bitdefender VPN: The VPN (Virtual Private Network) encrypts your internet connection, enhancing your online privacy and security by masking your IP address and encrypting your data traffic. This is particularly useful when you're using public Wi-Fi networks or want to access region-restricted content.

Scenario for Choosing VPN Over Web Protection:

Public Wi-Fi Networks: When connecting to public Wi-Fi (like at airports or cafes), using Bitdefender VPN is advisable to secure your data from potential eavesdropping or cyberattacks.
Accessing Region-Restricted Content: If you need to access content that's restricted to certain regions, Bitdefender VPN can help by masking your location.

When to Use Web Protection:

Regular Browsing: For everyday internet use, Bitdefender Web Protection is ideal to block malicious websites and ensure safe browsing.

NOTE: On Android, both Bitdefender Web Protection and Bitdefender VPN can run simultaneously, while on iPhone (iOS), enabling one typically disables the other. This difference is due to how Apple and Android handle network traffic and VPNs.

Regards

All comments

Flexx

https://community.bitdefender.com/en/discussion/103385/is-malware-trying-to-attack-my-phone

Open the Bitdefender application on your iOS device. Navigate to the 'Web Protection' feature located at the bottom of the screen. This will display a list of blocked web links. Kindly provide a screenshot of this view.

I have promoted you to Level 2, granting you the ability to upload the screenshot directly.

Regards

Lorean

Flexx

https://community.bitdefender.com/en/discussion/comment/350798#Comment_350798

Kindly review the results provided by Bitdefender Scamio and the related information regarding these specific websites, including the reasons why Bitdefender has blocked them.

The possible solution in this case would be to reset your Safari browser on iOS to its default settings. Kindly review the link provided below for detailed instructions on how to do so.

https://support.apple.com/en-in/105082

Let us know if the issue has been resolved.

Regards

Lorean

Thank you so much! I have cleared everything and hopefully that, along with bit defender, will take care of me.

Just a couple of questions though-

• Must I always ensure that web protection is "on" in order to block these connections?

• Is there a way to blacklist sites such as these?

• is changing my IP address at the ISP level beneficial?

Thank you again very much.

Flexx

https://community.bitdefender.com/en/discussion/comment/350835#Comment_350835

• Must I always ensure that web protection is "on" in order to block these connections?

• Is there a way to blacklist sites such as these?

If you believe that a website or file is not being detected by Bitdefender as malicious or phishing, please report it to our malware research team using the form provided at the link below:

https://www.bitdefender.com/consumer/support/answer/29358/

• is changing my IP address at the ISP level beneficial?

Regards

Lorean

again, thank you very much for your response.

I am confused though about web protection versus BitdefenderVPN on my iPhone. It seems like web protection should be on all the time, and also it will terminate VPN if it is running. What is a scenario where I would switch to VPN and not use protection?

Is there a similar situation on?

Thank you very much again.

Flexx

https://community.bitdefender.com/en/discussion/comment/350847#Comment_350847

Bitdefender Web Protection and Bitdefender VPN serve different purposes, but they can conflict if both are trying to manage your network traffic simultaneously. Here’s a breakdown to clarify:

Bitdefender Web Protection: This feature focuses on safeguarding your web browsing by blocking malicious websites, protecting against phishing attempts, and ensuring safe online transactions. It operates within your regular internet browsing sessions.
Bitdefender VPN: The VPN (Virtual Private Network) encrypts your internet connection, enhancing your online privacy and security by masking your IP address and encrypting your data traffic. This is particularly useful when you're using public Wi-Fi networks or want to access region-restricted content.

Scenario for Choosing VPN Over Web Protection:

Public Wi-Fi Networks: When connecting to public Wi-Fi (like at airports or cafes), using Bitdefender VPN is advisable to secure your data from potential eavesdropping or cyberattacks.
Accessing Region-Restricted Content: If you need to access content that's restricted to certain regions, Bitdefender VPN can help by masking your location.

When to Use Web Protection:

Regular Browsing: For everyday internet use, Bitdefender Web Protection is ideal to block malicious websites and ensure safe browsing.

Regards

Lorean

thank you!

Flexx

https://community.bitdefender.com/en/discussion/comment/350865#Comment_350865

Let us know if your query has been resolved so that we can proceed and close this post for further comments.

Regards