Apple Confirms Malware Has Been Found On Several Apps

Apple had to remove more than 300 malware-infected apps from its app store after the damaged version of its developer tools led to some of Chinese apps that leak the users’ personal information to hackers and outside servers.

The malware, XcodeGhost, has targeted genuine apps by hackers and was able to persuade developers to use its imitation, Xcode, which was used to impersonate genuine iOS and other Apps.

According to Palo Alto Networks, an online security company that posted about the hack last week, the malware can create fake alerts that pop up on your phone and request sensitive information, like passwords and login credentials.

Apple has now shared in a XcodeGhost question and answer page in its Chinese website that it will help protect the end-user by letting them know if they have downloaded any app(s) that have been created using the modified Xcode.

Apple is warning app developers to check their version of Xcode isn’t counterfeit after malicious apps snuck into the App Store. It is also blocking new app submissions containing the malicious code, and working with developers to get affected apps updated.

Apps affected are those which are popular in China, such as Tencent’s WeChat app which is used by 600 million people.

Hopefully Apple has addressed that problem, and hopefully has also found a fix to ensure malware like XcodeGhost doesn’t slip past its app screening process again.

The majority of these infected mobile apps were developed in China and are popular primarily in that country.

. The incident, which first hit the headlines over the weekend, is believed to be the most serious security breach in the App Store’s seven-year history.

She did not say what steps iPhone and iPad users could take to determine whether their devices were infected.

The company is also set to inform users directly if they have downloaded an app affected by XCodeGhost.

The malicious code seems to be removed when the apps are updated. Apple makes the tools freely available to developers through its Mac App Store.

It has emerged that many developers resorted to downloading Xcode from unofficial Chinese sources because of the slow connection speeds when trying to grab the software from Apple’s servers outside of China.