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Another iPhone worm spotted, this time it's dangerous
About two weeks ago, the first real worm for the iPhone began making its rounds, infecting vulnerable iPhones around the world. It was a benign attack made many jailbreakers aware of a commonly overlooked (but easily fixable) hole. Another worm for the iPhone has been spotted, and this time it isn't so friendly. It has been recognized as the first dangerous worm for the device.
A blogger for security firm Sophos has issued a writeup about the new worm, indicating among other things it may be attempting to pilfer sensitive information from people's phones. As the worm compromises the phone in its entirety, any information the device has access to could -- in theory -- be transmitted outside. A more noticeable effect will be the loss of battery life, with reports that an infected phone will have a seriously reduced runtime.
Thankfully, Sophos has posted an easy fix: return your firmware to the latest Apple-released official version. While that's not what jailbreakers want to hear, at least it's an option. This also serves as a warning to people who modify their devices; make sure you are taking the extra steps needed to secure yourself.
A blogger for security firm Sophos has issued a writeup about the new worm, indicating among other things it may be attempting to pilfer sensitive information from people's phones. As the worm compromises the phone in its entirety, any information the device has access to could -- in theory -- be transmitted outside. A more noticeable effect will be the loss of battery life, with reports that an infected phone will have a seriously reduced runtime.
Thankfully, Sophos has posted an easy fix: return your firmware to the latest Apple-released official version. While that's not what jailbreakers want to hear, at least it's an option. This also serves as a warning to people who modify their devices; make sure you are taking the extra steps needed to secure yourself.
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User Comments (13)
Post a comment| paynetrain007 on November 23, 2009 2:51 PM | A worm that only effects people not using Apple's firmware... hmmmm.... and the only fix is to reinstall Apple's firmware.... hm..... very suspicious.... I won't jump to any conclusions.... Maybe we'll start seeing virus's made for Apple computers that are running Windows next.... and the only fix will be to install snow leopard. |
| kibaruk on November 23, 2009 3:12 PM | Even if you jump to conclusions, then what? You can do
nothing. Even if apple is the one behind the worm, it affects "flashed" devices, which isn't meant to work like it. It's like banned xbox users complaints. |
| Guest on November 23, 2009 3:29 PM | This is not an iPhone worm. It's a "Jailbroken iPhone" worm. You should make the distinction in the headline so that iPhone users don't worry that their device might be compromised. |
| tekkaraiden on November 23, 2009 3:52 PM | I'm sorry but there is a bad apple/ worm joke in there some where. |
| Timonius on November 23, 2009 5:12 PM | Suspicions aside, I believe that this is a warning to all iPhone users out there. If a serious threat can be made for the jailbroken ones, then what makes you so sure that your regular one is safe? It's a classic case of targeting those who have the most (the reason my most pc viruses and such target windows machines). |
| razerblade on November 24, 2009 2:21 AM | So the moral of this story is, Don't jailbreak your phone! But even if you don't, you still have to expect these things to come out as so many people have an iPhone! |
| slh28 on November 24, 2009 7:36 AM | You would think that the people who are smart enough to jailbreak their iphone would also be smart enough to change their default password... especially as there was a non-malicious worm to serve as a warning a few weeks ago. |
| Nirkon on November 25, 2009 2:03 AM | paynetrain007 said: Ha ha... You know it can easily be
proven, A worm that only effects people not using Apple's firmware... hmmmm.... and the only fix is to reinstall Apple's firmware.... hm..... very suspicious.... I won't jump to any conclusions.... Maybe we'll start seeing virus's made for Apple computers that are running Windows next.... and the only fix will be to install snow leopard. reports of various users are showing up on the net with this worm, that'll be proof that its not a lie. |
| yangly18 on November 25, 2009 8:14 AM | yet iphone still racks up 50% of the industry. hahahaha I wonder just how many are infected already. |
| Didou on November 25, 2009 8:49 AM | Not all iPhones get jailbroken & amongst those that do get jailbroken, not all of them install SSH & from that even smaller subset that do install SSH, not all leave the default SSH password so I would think not that many. |
| JMMD on November 25, 2009 9:26 AM | Yet another reason not to jailbreak the phones or at least to be much more careful if you do. |
| lupinnktp on November 25, 2009 11:42 AM | jump to any conclusion or not, the lure of jailbreak is
high, duh? If you're juz using Apple's stuff like a normal
average consumer and are happy with it as it is, go ahead.
but don't tell us to not jailbreak it, or any "you don't"
nags. Some of us simply don't have the access to eligibility
to use it "legally". or we juz can't fight the idea of using
it to its 100%. but as any other crack-of-sort thing, the
key is about knowing the stuff. in this case it's to change
the password 
|
| Guest on January 1, 2010 7:50 AM | ******....ThErE iS OnE ThiNg ThAt ALL Of YoU MuSt KnOw
ThAt IPHONE CaN Be VeRy VeRy DaNgeRoUs OnE DaY...AnD ThAt
Is BeCaUsE Of HiGh TeChNoLoGy...****** I DoN'T TrUsT IpHoNe |
