IOS

iVirus iTrouble

September 9, 2015 — Leave a comment

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Here comes the new trouble called the KeyRaider. This is the latest virus, which prefers jailbreaked iPhones. What is even more interesting, this threat can be associated with the jailbreak solutions made in China, in the overwhelming majority of all cases. So, how does it work?

Well, as soon as your iPhone starts communicating with an iTunes and Apple Store the hackers jump in. Your iPhone will pay and do what you do not want or do not approve. So, what is the moral of our disturbing KeyRaider story? You should avoid jailbreak options for your smartphone?

Does it also mean that somewhere out of our sight the busy little bees in Apple are laughing at us? They told us, but we failed to listen and comply? No, it would not be fair to say such a thing. You are absolutely free to do whatever you like with your iPhone. You just need to be extremely careful.

Executing a jailbreak operation can be a risky operation, if you are reckless and impatient. Some hacker has obviously done his homework properly. Apple can, but still does not have an obligation to help you in this case. Do not accept a free ride of the notorious KeyRaider. That is the only advice we can give you.

Thunderstrike Firmworm: A Mac’s Cyber Thorn

August 19, 2015 — Leave a comment

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You do not have to be an outstanding computer genius or a cyber guru to know that Mac computers are considerably safer platforms compared to Windows. However, some busy little expert bees have decided to put this claim to a test. So, what were the results of this “experiment”?

This is how the so-called Thunderstruck Firmware for Mac computers was born. Its name says it all, does not it? Its ability to hide in the firmware section, combined with the ability to be set remotely makes it to be a formidable security threat. So, what can we do about it?

You can relax, there is also another group of busy little bees at Apple, which is fixing this problem as we speak. On the other side, you should be wiser, and do your best to avoid any suspicious links. How hard could it be to follow this simple advice? Otherwise, you are going to be hit by the Thunderstrike.

There is a sad conclusion. Which one? Well, it seems that there is no safe cyber place for us. Everywhere you look there is a trouble or a threat waiting for you around the next cyber corner. Yet, if you play smart and according to the rules, you are going to decrease the chances against you, at least.

Make A Wish With The Sailfish

May 29, 2015 — Leave a comment

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This post’s picture says it all, doesn’t it? Here is the current situation in Russia, when it comes to the mobile OS options. Android takes up to 66%, while on the other side, iOS is somewhere between 21% and 23% of the entire Russian mobile market. What is that telling us?

Well, almost 90% of the Russian mobile paradise is in the evil American hands. That is the greatest Russian nightmare. So, what they are going to do about it? They will create a mobile OS on their own. It turns out that the open source platform called the Sailfish is going to be perfect for this purpose.

The Russians are pretty much ambitious about this one. By the end of 2025 more than 50% of the mobile OS market is supposed to be in Russian hands. Again. The users all over Russia are supposed to feel safe and protected in terms of their privacy. Right? Yet, why stop there?

There is more than one serious rumor that both Russia and China can launch their own Internet networks completely independent from the World Wide Web. If they want to. At any given moment. Yet, do we really need that? Each country should have its Net and mobile OS. Seriously?

Jailbreak IOS 8.1.2

January 30, 2015 — Leave a comment

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Hold your horses, and be extremely careful about this one. Just because it is out there somewhere, it does not necessarily mean it is absolutely safe. We should be fully aware about two extremely dangerous things. On the one side, there is the dark side of the jailbreak’s moon. Who is responsible for it?

Well, who else then the hackers themselves. They give you something useful, just like this tool, but they also ask something in return. How about a secret door for an uninvited visit to your device, whenever they feel good about it. On the other side, there is an ever present instability danger.

When it comes to this one, there is not much you can actually do about it. Why? Who knows, what the jailbreak operation can do to your system’s stability. That is why this a tricky thing to do, and as a matter of fact, it has always been. So, what is the moral of our story? Have we learned something?

It all comes down to, you should better think twice that is our only advice. Really? Honestly, there is no other thing we can offer you. For what is worth, no one can. On the second thought, we feel guilty for sharing this one with you. Maybe, it is better for you not to be aware about all available options.

The Security Patch Wars

January 29, 2015 — Leave a comment

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It all started when Google had published a report about one extremely security flaw in the Windows 8 system. Microsoft was furious. For them that was an obvious sign of practices, which cannot be treated as fair and positive in their nature. In its defense Google said that it has waited long enough.

How long exactly? Well, more than 90 days, that was for sure. There is an unwritten rule that you have to wait for 90 days before you go public with your security flaw discovery. Why? This is a time period left for the warned party to do something about it and come up with the proper security patch.

Then, Microsoft decided to fight back with an announcement about the security trouble with the latest Android 5.0, or better known as the Lollipop. In the meantime, Google has found some security risks in the IOS, as well. Huh, and there is more. Google has just published two additional Windows security risks.

What is there for us, the users? This war of security patches is supposed to improve our safety and privacy. Instead, all what is left for hackers to do is to sit and wait for the next I-found-something-wrong report. By the time the appropriate security patch hits the network, you can rest assured they will take an advantage of the situation.

Google Bug Whistleblower

January 27, 2015 — Leave a comment

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What is happening with Google? It seems that they just cannot have enough of their a finger in the eye policy. What are we talking about? Well, the busy little bees in Google identify a bug in their competitor’s system. The worse it gets, the better it works for Google security experts. What is the next move?

They wait for 90 days and then they go public with their findings. This is exactly what happened with Microsoft. It was definitely a painful thing for someone to publish a detailed explanationnabout a bug in your system. This MS bug allows hackers to pay an unwanted visit to your Windows 8 at any given moment.

Now, Apple is in a similar situation. There is a similar bug in the OS. We also had the 90-day waiting period. The word about this bug is out. Just like with the Microsoft, in the previous case, Apple itself cannot do much about it. Actually, there is one thing to be done in this situation, which makes sense.

You have to come up with the appropriate security patch, haven’t you? That is the trouble. This is not something you can do in a blink of an eye. While you are waiting the users are trembling, and the competitors are celebrating. You can rest assured that your damage report at the end of the day is going to be a huge one.

Jailbreak One More Trouble To Make

August 29, 2014 — Leave a comment

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If you have second thoughts about jailbreaking your iPhone, after reading this post, you will definitely leave the things just the way they are. One serious rumor has it that AdThief IOS Malware has its origins in China. On the other side, this malware has an extremely specific goal to achieve.

It steals ad revenues. You do not have to be a rocket scientist to figure it out that this malware switches the recipient address of ad revenues. The things are pretty much serious in this matter. More than 75,000 infected devices and more than 20 million stolen ads. Is this impressive or what?

On the other hand, we have to admit that this malware is not necessarily bad from the user’s point of view. What this has to do with us? Yet, it is only a matter of time before the Chinese hackers realize that they can do some additional account’s IDs and recipients switching. We can be affected next.

We should also hold our horses and do our very best not to exaggerate the things. The main thing is that we can identify a certain cyber threat. The next move is to find the adequate answer for it. We sure hope we will not have to wait too long for the efficient cure. Poor old advertisers. Do you feel sorry for them?

IOS Secure Insecurity

August 3, 2014 — Leave a comment

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It seems that the endless debate about the security prestige between Android and IOS just got an additional intriguing chapter. We have all witnessed how every now and then some of the Apple’s representatives likes to point out the security imperfections and vulnerabilities associated with Android.

The opened IOS backdoor allowed us for the first to seriously question its security strength. For what is worth, IOS sees to be properly strong on the outside threats, and unforgettably weak on the inside. We are talking about the enemies from within. Confused?

Apple’s mobile software is intended to be used for maintenance purposes only. Who is to deal exclusively with these types of works is another question? Maybe, some of the NSA agents would be more than interested to pay a surprising visit to your iPhone’s data.

The Apple’s users are disturbed with a proper reason. On the other side, Apple’s marketing machinery will do its homework in this case with a series of justifications and calming press releases. However, the damage is already being done. The Apple has lost its self-claimed aureola of flawless safety. For how long?