Apple purges 'unprecedented' malware apps from the App Store
The App Store has suffered its first substantial malware breach, resulting in Apple having to purge the digital marketplace of infected apps.
‘XcodeGhost’ malware infiltrated apps by posing as iOS and Mac software Xcode, affecting at least 39 apps, according to the Verge.
Prominent Chinese apps such as WeChat, Camcard and Didi Chuxing were among those affected. WeChat, which boasts over 600m global users, said in a statement that the exploit only affected the v6.2.5 build for iOS, adding that “there has been no theft and leakage of users’ information or money”.
An Apple spokesperson told Reuters: “We’ve removed the apps from the App Store that we know have been created with this counterfeit software.
"We are working with the developers to make sure they’re using the proper version of Xcode to rebuild their apps."
Cyber security Palo Alto Via said that the malware “made unprecedented attacks on the iOS ecosystem” and opened up users to password and other data phishing attacks.
As a result such of cyber attacks and industrial scale leaks, brands are reshaping the debate around how feasibile standard data-for-service policies are in the current climate.