The camera and microphone on an iPhone activating without user input, especially after allowing applications to be installed outside the normal App Store, is a classic sign of the device being jailbroken. Jailbreaking an iPhone removes many of the built-in security features and restrictions, allowing the installation of apps from third-party sources. These third-party apps can be malicious and can gain unauthorized access to system resources like the camera and microphone.
* A. The user connected a counterfeit Lightning cable to the iPhone. While counterfeit cables can be harmful, they typically cause charging or connectivity issues rather than security vulnerabilities that would enable camera and microphone activation without user input.
* B. The device is unenrolled from Mobile Device Management. Unenrolling from MDM removes organizational controls but does not directly cause unauthorized camera and microphone activation.
* D. The iPhone has an out-of-date operating system. An outdated OS can have vulnerabilities, but the scenario specifically mentions modifications to allow third-party app installations, pointing to jailbreaking as the primary cause.
References:
CompTIA A+ Core 2 (220-1102) Exam Objectives, Section 2.3: Security measures and their purposes including mobile device security.