A new malware named YiSpecter is attacking Chinese iOS users.

Last month, there was a major attack on the iTunes App Store. According to CNN Money, a warning was circulated by security researchers to iPhone and iPad users in China and Taiwan. It explained that the users are still at risk from malicious software.

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TechCrunch reported that YiSpecter is a new malware family and can disturb both jailbroken and non-jailbroken Apple devices as stated by the research team named Palo Alto Networks' Unit 42. In other words, the potentially vulnerable is all iOS users.

A senior security researcher Claud Xiao confirmed that the iOS ecosystem nowadays is so lucrative that finding more and more ways to attack is so easy for attackers. More than 100 apps containing code not-approved by Apple had bypassed its strict review process.

For example, Chinese-speaking users are encouraged by the malware to download a porn browser or through mobile Internet ads that will allow users to install an app to see extra content. The malware can now quickly download extra apps to the user's device. It hijacks existing apps and hides those apps from the user's homescreens. The user cannot delete or remove the malware anymore knowing that it is still there.

A strong reputation for the security of Apple's mobile operating system is maintained by the company itself in comparison to Android. Viruses have infected 17% of the total or almost 1 million Android applications according to Symantec Internet Security Threat Report. But that reputation has now become a threat.

Removal of 39 applications from the official Apple store was done in September because of infected with malware through Xcode which is a modified version of Apple's software development kit.

WeChat was among the infected apps and is a super-popular Chinese mobile messaging app used.

Apple has been notified of Unit 42's findings. It is confirmed that the latest version of iOS is safe from YiSpecter. But Xiao said that there is still the warning about the effect of the method and that the attackers could update their code to target iOS 9 users.

TagsMalware, yispecter