Apple pulls out infected apps from the App Store

However, echoing the release of iOS 9, the launch hasn’t gone exactly to plan, with some users struggling to kit out their wearable with the latest software. These apps use a modified version of the software development kit of Apple, which is known as the Xcode. Among these iPhone and iPad apps was WeChat, which is a popular Chinese messaging app that is used by over 600 million people around the world. The malwares that were downloaded by unsuspecting customers induced many of them to reveal their passwords for iCloud.

Mobile merchant terminal company iZettle has warned its users that the Bluetooth issues within Apple’s operating system could seriously affect payment processes, and has strongly warned merchants using its kit not to upgrade to iOS9 until it says so. Apple has not disclosed the total number of infected apps. It is now unclear as to how many users have downloaded the infected, malicious application, but Palo Alto has stated it is working with Apple to not only assess the impact, but also counter the security breach.

However, while Apple has openly acknowledged the malware outbreak, Schiller pointed out that the company doesn’t know of a single instance in which any of the recently-infected apps was used to share customer data with a third party.

The update has added new features to the five month old watch, which includes new faces as well as major cities with time-lapse videos shot over 24 hours in locations like London, Paris and New York. Many affected apps have since been updated and are no longer infected by XcodeGhost.

Today Apple sent an email to developers asking them to make sure they only download Xcode from Apple, and to validate that they have a legitimate copy of the software if in doubt. Apple stated that the apps that have been infected have been isolated. The company stated that it did not believe that the hackers were able to steal any confidential information of the users. Apps such as WeChat and Didi Kuaidi have been found to have the XcodeGhost.