Sci/Tech New iPhone worm can act like botnet say experts

[Romek]

A second worm to hit the iPhone has been unearthed by security company F-Secure. It is specifically targeting people in the Netherlands who are using their iPhones for internet banking with Dutch online bank ING.

It redirects the bank's customers to a lookalike site with a log-in screen. The worm attacks "jail-broken" phones - a modification which enables the user to run non-Apple approved software on their handset.
The handsets at risk also have SSH (secure shell) installed.

Many people use SSH so other programs can remotely connect to an iPhone and, among other things, transfer files. It comes with a default password, "alpine" which should be changed. Users who have installed SSH and not changed the password are especially at risk.

The new worm is more serious than the first because it can behave like a botnet, warns F-Secure. This enables the phone to be accessed or controlled remotely without the permission of its owner.

Read On

 

[AnthraxXx]

I don't live in the Netherlands nor have an Iphone so... I'm safe

 

[ReVolver]

Apple can't get viruses? I love to shove that concept right up all the noses of those cocky mac users.

 

[Avaleirra]

Apple can't get viruses? I love to shove that concept right up all the noses of those cocky mac users.

Agreed. Jailbroken iPods are my pet peeves too. They deserve it.

 

[Hatebreeder]

Haha : D

Finally, something, that I actually find amusing xD
Stupid Iphone... Die !! And take your MP4 Format with you ! =P

 

[seph ir oth]

Stupid Iphone... Die !! And take your MP4 Format with you ! =P

My friend tried to argue that MP4's were 10x smaller than MP3's to me, and that is his sole reason as to why he got an iPod over an MP3 player of similar size. Tool ...

As for this story ... it was bound to happen. They made it so easy to make applications for the iPhone. You ever try using Unity before? Oooh boy it's easy to develop!

 

[sjakie]

I do live in the Netherlands, unfortunately. Im not an Iphone user though, so I guess Im perfectly safe.

 

[sqrage]

Apple can't get viruses? I love to shove that concept right up all the noses of those cocky mac users.

Yea but its only for jailbroken iphones/touches. The normal apple firmware is still safe.

 

[CysticCraze]

The virus effects the app, not the Iphone. Besides the fact that the phone doesnt run lepord. So that is to say, we can still be douche bags, just having a mac makes us superior, the world trembles when we run our computers. Dont be misled, we are tyrants and we intend to take what is ours. Dont worry, well never and i mean never not be douche bags, its our nature.

As for the story, I dont know why anyone would make an app to transfer cash, after all the rectent discoveries about pulling information out of the air via Wifi, you would be foolish to even acess your account without a wire.

 

[Tru_Power22]

The virus effects the app, not the Iphone. Besides the fact that the phone doesnt run lepord. So that is to say, we can still be douche bags, just having a mac makes us superior, the world trembles when we run our computers. Dont be misled, we are tyrants and we intend to take what is ours. Dont worry, well never and i mean never not be douche bags, its our nature.

As for the story, I dont know why anyone would make an app to transfer cash, after all the rectent discoveries about pulling information out of the air via Wifi, you would be foolish to even acess your account without a wire.

Your "a kind 'person wearing a top hat and using a cane' whom's stance I disagree with".

Mac don't get viruses because it's not worth the effort of the hackers to get 6% of the market share. Not because of apples genius (no pun intended).

It's not an app to transfer all of your cash, it for people doing online banking.

What "recent discoveries"? It's been known for a long time that sending sensitive information over an open network is stupid. If your using your home network and have some decent security, you shouldn't have a problem.

Anyways, on topic:

You would have to be stupid not to change the password of SSH. It the peoples own damn fault. It's like blaming Gmail because your password was "pasword" and your account got hacked.

 

[Jackal]

Mac don't get viruses because it's not worth the effort of the hackers to get 6% of the market share. Not because of apples genius (no pun intended).

We don't get our 6% share of viruses. Your logic is invalid.

 

[ReVolver]

I don't get viruses and I use Windows, I hate how people say computers get viruses, no ... YOU GET VIRUSES, the stupidity of the user does not effect the operating system.

 

[ElderKingpin]

We don't get our 6% share of viruses. Your logic is invalid.

because im not going to waste my time to hack a small market.

 

[Jackal]

because im not going to waste my time to hack a small market.

Don't be so silly, most hackers won't buy a specific OS just to hack it. Or if you mean virus instead of hack. Most people won't buy a specific OS just to spread viruses on it. Why aren't the people on Macs getting plenty of viruses from their 'hacking' sector?

 

[Azlier]

What he's saying is that since Macs are 6% of the market (sounds like a totally random statistic), nobody will bother making a virus for it. Not that only 6% of virii are for Macs.

 

[sqrage]

Don't be so silly, most hackers won't buy a specific OS just to hack it. Or if you mean virus instead of hack. Most people won't buy a specific OS just to spread viruses on it. Why aren't the people on Macs getting plenty of viruses from their 'hacking' sector?

It's been stated 3 times already.

Let me clear a few things up for you. To hack is to modify any computer program in any non-legal way. This can mean viruses, cracks, tweaks, etc. I don't even have a clue what you're talking about when you say "Most people won't buy a specific OS just to spread viruses on it." No one is talking about buying the OS, we're talking about the amount of viruses on each.

As for the second part, "Why aren't the people on Macs getting plenty of viruses?"...as stated earlier, it's not worthwhile creating a hack or looking for an exploit for Macs. With only 6% of the marketshare of computers it is much more financially smart to spend that time looking for an exploit that works on Windows.

People who find cracks and exploits make money off doing so. Either by telling the software producers about it and getting a reward (like anyone would actually choose this) or selling it to a company that could use a botnet for whatever purpose.

Let me make a hypothetical situation for you incase you still don't understand:

If you're a writer and your primary concern is revenue, and you have 2 choices of writings - comedy or tragedy. You know that 94% of the people in the world like comedies but only 6% like tragedies. Which one would you choose?