Chinese Authorities Shut Down WireLurker Distribution Site, Arrest Suspects Involved

lightning_usb_cable_0_5_mLast Friday, Chinese authorities arrested three individuals that are suspected of developing the "WireLurker" malware, which infected thousands of mobile devices in China after Mac users installed malicious software from a third-party App Store.

According to a police post on Chinese social network Sina Weibo, the three men were arrested in Beijing on suspicion of "manufacturing and distributing" WireLurker after police received a tip from Chinese security company Qihoo 360 technology. In addition to arresting the suspects involved in the creation of the malicious software, Chinese authorities also shut down the site that was spreading it.

First publicized by researchers in early November, WireLurker is a trojan that infected thousands of Chinese iOS and Mac users after they installed software from the Maiyadi App Store, a third-party app platform that delivered more than 400 infected OS X applications.

WireLurker was able to attack iOS devices through Macs using USB, and was described as heralding "a new era in malware attacking Apple's desktop and mobile platforms." After being installed on a Mac, WireLurker would infect an iOS device using enterprise provisioning, making it the first malware capable of installing third-party applications on non-jailbroken iOS devices.

At the time information was published on WireLurker, infected apps had already been downloaded more than 356,104 times. Apple quickly took steps to block the infected apps, preventing them from launching, and in a statement, it reminded users not to install software from untrusted sources.

Just a week after WireLurker surfaced, another vulnerability in iOS was publicized by researchers. Called Masque Attack, it also infects iOS devices using enterprise provision profiles and is somewhat more dangerous, as it can replace existing apps with nearly undetectable fake versions.

Though it hasn't been found in the wild, Masque Attack prompted a warning from the U.S. government and a statement from Apple, with the company once again encouraging customers to download apps only from trusted sources.

Neither Masque Attack nor WireLurker are likely to affect the average iOS user as long as Apple's security features are not bypassed, as both vulnerabilities circumvent the App Store and Mac App Store to install apps.

Top Rated Comments

mgipe Avatar
118 months ago
Probably gave them an offer they couldn't refuse: go on the government payroll or go to jail.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Michaelgtrusa Avatar
118 months ago
I will need to see more evidence before i'm convinced that this so called arrest isn't just propaganda.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
GeneralChang Avatar
118 months ago
My favorite part of these attacks are the part when I realize that because I download stuff only from the App Store and my company's website, I'm good. Love that security.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
macs4nw Avatar
118 months ago
"Neither Masque Attack nor WireLurker are likely to affect the average iOS user as long as Apple's security features are not bypassed, as both apps circumvent the App Store and Mac App Store to install apps."

And that's the key portion of the article, my friends. Live 'dangerously' at your own peril.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Tzerlag Avatar
118 months ago
PLA unit 61398 didn't like the competition.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
nepalisherpa Avatar
118 months ago
There will be lurkers waiting for them in the prison. Good job!
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iOS 17

iOS 17.2 Will Add These 12 New Features to Your iPhone

Friday December 1, 2023 12:19 pm PST by
iOS 17.2 has been in beta testing for over a month, and it should be released to all users in a few more weeks. The software update includes many new features and changes for iPhones, including the dozen that we have highlighted below. iOS 17.2 is expected to be released to the public in mid-December. To learn about even more features coming in the update, check out our full list. Journal ...
anker new xmas 1

Anker's Cyber Week Sale Enters Final Days With Up to 60% Off Sitewide

Friday December 1, 2023 12:05 pm PST by
Anker's Black Friday/Cyber Week event is entering its final days this weekend, and it's still offering up to 60 percent off sitewide. There are also a few "mystery boxes" that can include hundreds of dollars in savings, if you're willing to risk not knowing what you're buying ahead of time. All of these sales will end on December 3. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Anker. When you...
General Apps Messages

Green Bubbles on iPhone to Gain These 7 New Features Next Year

Thursday November 30, 2023 9:00 am PST by
Earlier this month, Apple announced that it will finally support RCS in the Messages app on the iPhone starting later next year. This change will result in several improvements to the messaging experience between iPhones and Android devices. RCS will become the new default standard for messaging between iPhones and Android devices, but these conversations will still have green bubbles like...
top stories 2dec2023

Top Stories: iOS 17.1.2 Released, NameDrop Misinformation, and More

Saturday December 2, 2023 6:00 am PST by
Apple employees are back to work following a Thanksgiving break, and that means this week saw a number of new operating system updates for both public release and beta testing. This week also saw some misinformation about Apple's new NameDrop feature making the rounds, while Apple and Goldman Sachs appear to be on the verge of a break-up in their Apple Card and savings account partnership,...
instagram messenger

Instagram and Facebook Messenger Chats to Disconnect This Month

Tuesday December 5, 2023 1:57 am PST by
Meta has revealed plans to end Instagram users' ability to chat with Facebook accounts later this month, rolling back a feature that it introduced over three years ago. In September 2020, Meta (then Facebook) announced it was merging its Facebook Messenger service with Instagram direct messaging, allowing Instagram users to chat with Facebook users and vice versa using the same platform....
iphone 5g mmwave

Apple's Work on 6G Connectivity Already Expanding

Monday December 4, 2023 7:00 am PST by
Apple's work on implementing 6G cellular connectivity on its devices appears to be ramping up, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In the latest edition of his "Power On" newsletter, Gurman explained that Apple is increasingly turning its attention to 6G, even amid its widely reported difficulties developing a custom 5G cellular modem. In 2021, the first highly specific Apple job...