The masque bug in Apple Inc.’s (NASDAQ:AAPL) iOS has shocked even its most loyal costumers all over the World. Apple’s security level was considered quite effective until recently. First the iCloud hack and now the bug!
The bug has a potential to impact and damage iPhone and iPad iOS. Researchers have indicated that this bug in Apple’s operating system makes its iPhones and iPads open targets for hackers. Right after the news the US government announced the bug and warned Apple Inc users about the vulnerability of their iPhones’ securities. These attacks can be quite dangerous as they would allow the hackers to steal sensitive data.
The bug enables hackers to get access to the device by persuading the users to install malicious apps through fake notifications, text messages, emails and web links. It allows hackers to install fake malicious apps on users’ phones. The fire eye, which is a leader in cyber security and malware protection, has dubbed the attack as the masque attack as it uses the technique to hack the user’s phone by installing apps through Apple’s Inc App Store.
The banking programs and emails can also be used in the attacks. However iPhones powered by older iOS version are likely to stay safe from these attacks because the virus only attacks the latest versions of 7.1.1, 8.0, 8.1, and 9.11 beta. Still according to Fire eye the threat is a genuine concern for the millions of iPhone users around the globe. The exact number of compromised devices is however unknown at this point.
Cyber security experts advise the users to cancel when a pop up notification appears asking if they would like to continue updating an app or install a new one. If users do not use the notification then they can remain protected from the bug; however it still has been labeled as extremely dangerous because it can even work behind application processes.
Apple Inc has taken this problem seriously and is already working on it mainly because it can greatly impact its sales margin. Fire eye warns that if hackers gain access to users’ devices through the bug then they can get complete access to the device’s data and easily steal all your secret credentials, your bank account, credit cards, ID and other vital private and non private information in a blink of an eye.
Fire Eye had quietly warned Apple Inc when the bug first appeared but then made the knowledge public after Apple didn’t take the threat seriously. It is believed that Fire Eye pressurized Apple to take some serious measures to provide more security to its users. In defense Apple Inc said that they encourage customers to download apps only from trusted app sites and have already installed built in security programs in OSX and in iOS.
Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) claims that until now there are literally zero security breaches reported and that they are not aware of any users who have been affected by the bug. The news about the bug first started circulating as rumors on different web forums where different cyber experts exchanged views regarding different softwares.
