What you need to know about WireLurker

November 6th, 2014
What you need to know about WireLurker

Photo Copyright DirectNetworks, Inc. 2014

By Naomi Dolin-Aubertin

The latest data threat is not from your credit card, or Windows system, it is on iOS devices. Apple is known for running a tight ship when it comes to their devices. Nonetheless, as many users in China are finding right now, their phones and computers are not as secured as they thought.

A new malware codenamed, WireLurker, has potentially infected hundreds of thousands of users. The malware, which initially was spread through 467 infected applications offered through a third-party, Chinese app store, has the ability to pass from an infected computer onto an Apple device through a USB cable. WireLurker then has the ability to self-update and download other malicious applications.

The significance of this malware is its ability to affect regular Apple devices. Traditionally, only users who have purposefully "jailbroken" their phones have been susceptible to outside attacks, as they have broken the device's built-in security.

The intent of the malware is not clearly known. However, its creators continue to update the software and potentially have access to users Apple IDs and other potentially sensitive information.

What does this mean for you? So far it appears that WireLurker is only impacting users in China, however, the wider-reaching implications are clear. Hackers are becoming more clever in their approach to iOS devices. Therefore, it is especially important to protect your computers, phones, and tablets by only downloading applications from trusted sources and maintaining the integrity of the Apple security system by choosing not to jailbreak the phones. You can also talk to our team about how to protect your devices with DirectNetworks' Mobile Device Management.


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