CNET reports on the discovery of Windows malware embedded within an iPhone application available through the App Store. But rather than a directed attack at Windows users, the malware appears to have been accidentally included from an infected developer's system. The malware is also relatively old and easily detected by most antivirus software for Windows once the App Store package has been unwrapped.

The malware was first discovered by a user posting in the Apple support forums who noted that a download of Instaquotes-Quotes Cards For Instagram from developer Ilyas Hassani triggered warnings from the ClamXav antivirus software for Mac. While the Windows malware obviously could not harm the user's OS X installation, it was flagged as an infected file posing a danger to Windows systems. After learning about the discovery, CNET performed additional testing on the download to confirm that it was not a false positive.

Since the downloaded .ipa file is a package, these executables could be extracted using the package manager Pacifist, and then more accurately scanned. Afterward, other malware programs like Sophos that initially missed detecting the malware instantly picked it up and described it as "Mal/CoiDung-A," a worm written in visual basic that installs files within the Windows system directory and then modifies the Windows registry to execute the malware when the system is restarted.

Copying the malware to a Windows virtual machine running the latest version of Microsoft Security Essentials resulted in the malware being immediately detected and removed from the system.

instaquotes iantivirus scanIt is unclear exactly how or why the malware came to be included in the App Store package, but it seems almost certain to have been an accidental inclusion. As delivered inside the application package, it appears to pose no harm to Windows users, who would have to decompress the package and manually run the infected file in order to expose themselves to the malware.

The infected application debuted in the App Store on July 19 and is currently still available for download after a temporary price drop from $0.99 to free over the weekend.

Top Rated Comments

outphase Avatar
152 months ago
This serves as a reminder that antivirus software for Mac (and Linux) is primarily for stopping the spread of Windows viruses.
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
nuckinfutz Avatar
152 months ago
Get a Mac!!!


I keep reading that Windows doesn't collect virus anymore yet continually I see the
ramifications of believing this.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sulliweb Avatar
152 months ago
I have to admit I'm more curious than concerned. I thought app development had to be done in X-Code, which only runs on a Mac. If so, the coding and work had to be done on a Mac. That being the case, how would Windows malware, even acidentally, end up in the app itself?

Obviously, I'm not a developer, so I'm sure I'm missing something, just curious as to what...
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
haincha Avatar
152 months ago
I am just curious how that happens? The only thing I can think of is that he has BootCamp or something with software to open up mac folder system on Windows. Because, even if the exe filed came on the mac side, it wouldn't be able to replicate itself or put itself into any random folders.

Then, why choose that particular folder? It isn't showing up in every folder path. Even if he says it wasn't deliberate, is it possible to get there, and only there, without it being on purpose?
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
AriX Avatar
152 months ago
Sounds like Apple should run a virus check on App Store packages before approving them!

But .ipa files are not packages, as the article indicates, they're just renamed ZIP files. Pacifist should not be necessary to open them; just rename the file to something.zip and double click it.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Amazing Iceman Avatar
152 months ago
It is very suspicious how it bundled itself in an .ipa file.
Windows viruses usually attach to Windows files known to be executables or have vulnerabilities that allow it to execute.
An .ipa file is totally foreign to Windows, and the locations where the virus installed itself are too much to be a mere coincidence.
Weird... just weird...
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

reset password request iphone

Warning: Apple Users Targeted in Phishing Attack Involving Rapid Password Reset Requests

Tuesday March 26, 2024 4:34 pm PDT by
Phishing attacks taking advantage of Apple's password reset feature have become increasingly common, according to a report from KrebsOnSecurity. Multiple Apple users have been targeted in an attack that bombards them with an endless stream of notifications or multi-factor authentication (MFA) messages in an attempt to cause panic so they'll respond favorably to social engineering. An...
iPhone Home Screen Gradient Blank Spaces 1

Sources: iOS 18 Lets Apps Be Placed Anywhere on Home Screen Grid

Sunday March 24, 2024 1:33 pm PDT by
iOS 18 will give iPhone users greater control over Home Screen app icon arrangement, according to sources familiar with the matter. While app icons will likely remain locked to an invisible grid system on the Home Screen, to ensure there is some uniformity, our sources say that users will be able to arrange icons more freely on iOS 18. For example, we expect that the update will introduce...
iPad Pro 2024 Landscape Camera Feature

New iPad Pro Again Rumored to Feature Landscape Front-Facing Camera

Monday March 25, 2024 5:43 am PDT by
The next-generation iPad Pro will feature a landscape-oriented front-facing camera for the first time, according to the Apple leaker known as "Instant Digital." Instant Digital reiterated the design change earlier today on Weibo with a simple accompanying 2D image. The post reveals that the entire TrueDepth camera array will move to the right side of the device, while the microphone will...
sonoma desktop wwdc

Apple Releases macOS Sonoma 14.4.1 With Fix for USB Hub Bug

Monday March 25, 2024 10:10 am PDT by
Apple today released macOS Sonoma 14.4.1, a minor update for the macOS Sonoma operating system that launched last September. macOS Sonoma 14.4.1 comes three weeks after macOS Sonoma 14.4. The ‌‌‌‌macOS Sonoma‌‌ 14.4‌.1 update can be downloaded for free on all eligible Macs using the Software Update section of System Settings. There's also a macOS 13.6.6 release for those who...
maxresdefault

Apple Announces WWDC 2024 Event for June 10 to 14

Tuesday March 26, 2024 10:02 am PDT by
Apple today announced that its 35th annual Worldwide Developers Conference is set to take place from Monday, June 10 to Friday, June 14. As with WWDC events since 2020, WWDC 2024 will be an online event that is open to all developers at no cost. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. WWDC 2024 will include online sessions and labs so that developers can learn about new...
Generic iOS 18 Feature Purple

iOS 18 Will Finally Bring This Android Feature to iPhone

Monday March 25, 2024 6:42 am PDT by
iOS 18 will allow iPhone users to place app icons anywhere on the Home Screen grid, according to sources familiar with development of the software update. This basic feature has long been available on Android smartphones. While app icons will likely remain locked to an invisible grid system on the Home Screen, our sources said that users will be able to arrange icons more freely on iOS 18....
apple maps 3d feature

Apple Maps May Gain Custom Routes With iOS 18

Tuesday March 26, 2024 3:10 pm PDT by
Apple may be planning to add support for "custom routes" in Apple Maps in iOS 18, according to code reviewed by MacRumors. Apple Maps does not currently offer a way to input self-selected routes, with Maps users limited to Apple's pre-selected options, but that may change in iOS 18. Apple has pushed an iOS 18 file to its maps backend labeled "CustomRouteCreation." While not much is revealed...
iphone reasons to upgrade

Apple Outlines 'Reasons to Upgrade' Your iPhone on New Website

Monday March 25, 2024 12:53 pm PDT by
Apple today added a "Why Upgrade" section to its website, which is aimed at encouraging customers with older iPhones to upgrade to a newer model. The website allows customers to compare the iPhone 11, 11 Pro, 11 Pro Max, 12, 12 mini, 12 Pro, and 12 Pro Max to the iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, or iPhone 15 Pro Max. Each comparison shows what new features someone with an older...