Reports are now comming in about the first iPhone worm that is hitting Apple handsets in the wild. When we say in the wild it means the worm can only infect “jail-broken” iPhones. Wait may be you could not catch the ‘jail break’ concept either. These are phones that have overridden the original Apple security layer to allow any software to run on iPhone. This is now limited to Australia but it could spread else where too. This is now as serious as the Australian bush fire. (well atleast for those who have ruptured the original malware protection)
iPhone Worms in Action (src: BBC.CO.UK)
The only way the worm annoys you is by changing your wallpaper to a picture of Rick Astley, the of 80’s singer. It also sports a messages saying “ikee is never going to give you up”. You may say, well that is not much of a threat. But this is self spreading and the makers could follow it up with more lethal versions. Even this simple thing could cause you huge embarrasment and have significant emotional effect on children if the image is changed to inappropriate/violent images.
It is also known already that the full source code is available online for all the four variants of this worm. Well, this worm can only infect another iPhone only if the user has installed SSH – a program that allows two devices to connect and allows one device to modify files in another device. Even you are safe from infection if you have changed the default password of SSH installation. The creator talked to BBC about it clarifying his motive behind creating this worm. He says : “People are stupid and this is to prove it.
It’s not that hard guys. But hey who cares its only your bank details at stake.”
You can clean your iPhone of this worm by deleting the related files and then changing the main password of the phone.
Given that around 10% of iPhones and iPod Touches are Jail Broken there is a serious vulnerability out there that other hackers might take advantage of. So watch out. Detailed report on BBC.
