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It seems that hackers have started to focus their attention on iOS lately, maybe because the number of users is constantly on increase mode, or just to prove that the system is not as indestructible as previously thought.
A new security flaw makes iPhones extremely vulnerable but, according to experts, Android users should not feel too confident that it is not going to target their devices as well.
This new virus basically allows hackers to load applications onto your phone . These look like real apps but they are nothing but malware.
The good news is that they can only be installed if you click on the link they provide. That is when you can get an infected version of Skype, Twitter, Facebook or various other applications that you may need on your phone.
This is why you should avoid clicking on any links that you are not familiar with and only use Apple Store to download any apps you want.
This way of hacking into the phone is called “Masque” attack, because they look like something real, that you might be familiar with, but it is in fact a harmful application. This can be very damaging because you won’t be aware of the fact that you have a virus but the hacker will know the passwords and any other activity that you perform using the app.
“It can look at the historical data that app might have saved depending on the type of app. For a corporate user, it could be catastrophic if hackers get insight into internal negotiations and corporate crown jewels at risk,” said Simon Mullis, the global technical chief at FireEye, the cybersecurity and malware protection firm.
According to FireEye, the apps that hackers use to infect your phone include WeChat, WhatsApp, Facebook, Facebook Messenger, Twitter, Viber, Google Chrome. Skype, Telegram, VK and Blackberry Messenger.
The malware was detected after an Italian company that is involved in selling surveillance technology to governments was hacked and 400GB worth of files were released.
It is important for Android users to be on the lookout as well, because the same hacking system may attack their phones as well. This is why they should download their applications only from Google Play Store. Moreover, both iOS and Android users need to check the latest news related to malware and any other security problems that may be associated with these systems.
Nevertheless, sources close to the situation reported that Apple has already fixed the problem. Even so, the problem might be far from solved, as experts warn that more attacks are expected in the future.
Image Source: consumeraffairs
