Malware swipes 225,000 Apple accounts

Engadget ^ | 8/31/15 | Jon Fingas

[Pontiac]

Jailbreaking an iPhone gives you the freedom to run the apps and interfaces you want (rather than those allowed by Apple), but it also carries some inherent risks -- you're giving apps much more control over your phone.

And unfortunately, some of these users are discovering this the hard way. Researchers have discovered a strain of iOS malware, nicknamed KeyRaider, that has stolen over 225,000 Apple IDs from jailbroken devices.

The software takes advantage of Chinese app repositories that let people directly upload and share their own titles.

If you happen to download the code, it'll either scoop up your Apple account data (to give rogue users "free" apps) or hold your phone for ransom.

The attack isn't possible if you're running unmodified versions of iOS, so you don't have any reason to panic if you're already playing it safe.

There's also a way for technically savvy users to protect themselves without giving up that precious jailbreak.

However, this could represent a big problem in China and other countries where it's relatively common to jailbreak iPhones.

KeyRaider could thrive simply because it has a large number of potential targets.

[Pontiac]

I have always thought that it was simply a cell service provider’s gimmick to have cell phones slaved to a specific provider (and maybe it is) but in this case it seems to protect your phone to have it locked to a specific provider.

[Pontiac]

Apple ping

[mad_as_he$$]

Cult members engaging in “jailbreaking”? I am shocked I tell you, SHOCKED!

[AFreeBird]

Has noting to do with the cell service provider. These people hacked the OS.

[Pontiac]

Yes, but they hacked the OS so they could escape the service provider.