iPad users targeted by Malware..

[archipellago]

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/38700/iPad-suffers-virus-attack

Fake iTunes update link steals user data targets Apple’s new tablet Mac

A virus that specifically targets users of the iPad is doing the rounds, TechRadar reports.

Delivered in an email, the virus disguises itself as an update for iTunes. However, once the link is clicked personal data is stolen from the machine.

“Identified by BitDefender as Backdoor.Bifrose.AADY, the piece of malicious code inadvertently downloaded injects itself into the explorer.exe process and opens up a backdoor that allows unauthorised access to and control over the affected system,” a press release from anti-virus firm BitDefender reads.

“Moreover, it attempts to read the keys and serial numbers of the various software installed on the affected computer, while also logging the passwords to the victim's ICQ, Messenger, POP3 mail accounts, and protected storage.”

If clicked, the link does not appear to pose any threat to Mac or PC users.

 

[4DThinker]

Oh Geez. There goes that Windows-need-antivirus advantage.

 

[mkrishnan]

Interesting... now why would anyone click on a link in an e-mail claiming to update their iTunes?

 

[yellow]

I wouldn't normally, but since I'm still waiting for a deposed Nigerian Prince to deposit $25,000,000 in my account... I have some time on my hands.

 

[miles01110]

Interesting... now why would anyone click on a link in an e-mail claiming to update their iTunes?

Because Apple's target demographics include the kind of people who don't know any better.

 

[yellow]

Because Apple's target demographics include the kind of people who don't know any better.

I don't think that domain belongs exclusively to Apple's target demographic

 

[sassenach74]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 3_1_3 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/528.18 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0 Mobile/7E18 Safari/528.16)

Oh Geez. There goes that Windows-need-antivirus advantage.

Huh?

 

[diabolic]

Because Apple's target demographics include the kind of people who don't know any better.

And there will be millions of them. In an admittedly twisted way, it could be seen as another sign of iPad success.

 

[thatisme]

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/38700/iPad-suffers-virus-attack

Fake iTunes update link steals user data targets Apple’s new tablet Mac

A virus that specifically targets users of the iPad is doing the rounds, TechRadar reports.

Delivered in an email, the virus disguises itself as an update for iTunes. However, once the link is clicked personal data is stolen from the machine.

“Identified by BitDefender as Backdoor.Bifrose.AADY, the piece of malicious code inadvertently downloaded injects itself into the explorer.exe process and opens up a backdoor that allows unauthorised access to and control over the affected system,” a press release from anti-virus firm BitDefender reads.

“Moreover, it attempts to read the keys and serial numbers of the various software installed on the affected computer, while also logging the passwords to the victim's ICQ, Messenger, POP3 mail accounts, and protected storage.”

If clicked, the link does not appear to pose any threat to Mac or PC users.

Sounds to me like it is a windows problem, but affects windows users that have iPads synced to the windows version of iTunes. As far as I am aware, the MAC doesn't have a explorer.exe file to corrupt

 

[mkrishnan]

^^ I wonder about that, too... a lot of times, these articles about new exploits are sort of half-baked. I'll be interested to see more detailed analysis of how this works and what needs to be done to safeguard against it.

 

[screensaver400]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 3_1_3 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/528.18 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0 Mobile/7E18 Safari/528.16)



Huh?

Yeah, this is a Windows virus that just talks about iPad to try to get users to install it.

It's the same as if it targeted dairy farmers: "Click here to install a program to teach you how to better milk your cows!"

 

[grozier]

the piece of malicious code inadvertently downloaded injects itself into the explorer.exe process

Sounds like a Windows attack to me. How does that affect the iPad? It appears that the description needs updating.

 

[Night Spring]

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/38700/iPad-suffers-virus-attack
“Identified by BitDefender as Backdoor.Bifrose.AADY, the piece of malicious code inadvertently downloaded injects itself into the explorer.exe process and opens up a backdoor that allows unauthorised access to and control over the affected system,” a press release from anti-virus firm BitDefender reads.

Wait, this doesn't make sense. Download? How does anything get downloaded to an iPad? explorer.exe? Since when does the iPad have explorer.exe?

 

[miles01110]

Wait, this doesn't make sense. Download? How does anything get downloaded to an iPad? explorer.exe? Since when does the iPad have explorer.exe?

It's not a very well-written (or well-titled) article. As I understand it, it only has to do with the iPad insofar as iPad users are getting the e-mail with the malicious link.

 

[MacBoobsPro]

So it doesnt affect PCs or Macs and the iPad doesnt (Im guessing here ) doesnt have an explorer.exe so what exactly does this thing affect?

 

[PsyD4Me]

Interesting... now why would anyone click on a link in an e-mail claiming to update their iTunes?

]

Bingo!

 

[diabolic]

So it doesnt affect PCs or Macs and the iPad doesnt (Im guessing here ) doesnt have an explorer.exe so what exactly does this thing affect?

I guess it affects the Windows machine of an iPad user.

 

[mkrishnan]

So it doesnt affect PCs or Macs and the iPad doesnt (Im guessing here ) doesnt have an explorer.exe so what exactly does this thing affect?

Another report seems to also indicate it's a Windows malware and doesn't attack iTunes or the iPad itself. (It seems to have nothing to do with the iPad except that it phishes for iPad users.)

I'm not sure what the final sentence of the previous article means, unless perhaps it means that the link itself doesn't do anything to the computer, but once you click on the link (it leads to a fake iTunes download page), and when you click on the install button on the page, then it downloads the malware. (So, if you really wanted to see the phishing site, you could safely do so.) Not sure why this would be important to report, really, and certainly the way it's said is cryptic.

 

[Chupa Chupa]

Because Apple's target demographics include the kind of people who don't know any better.

You think Windows users are that much savvier? I beg to differ. 99% of all computer users don't know how to surf safely. Their choice of OS is irrelevant.

 

[diabolic]

I'd imagine an article with the title "iPad Suffers Virus Attack" will get a lot of hits for them.

 

[H00513R]

Just another reason to always go to the site to verify. Never do it through email...

 

[tigres]

You think Windows users are that much savvier? I beg to differ. 99% of all computer users don't know how to surf safely. Their choice of OS is irrelevant.

I don't know if 99% is an accurate stat. However you are on to something and I get what your saying. My son who is 13 knows better; as I am sure more folks do today than perhaps 5 years ago.

 

[Chupa Chupa]

I don't know if 99% is an accurate stat. However you are on to something and I get what your saying. My son who is 13 knows better; as I am sure more folks do today than perhaps 5 years ago.

Yes, it was meant as hyperbole in an effort to emphasize that ones choice of OS has no bearing on that user's competence. There are savvy and clueless users everywhere using Macs and PCs.

 

[tigres]

Yes, it was meant as hyperbole in an effort to emphasize that ones choice of OS has no bearing on that user's competence. There are savvy and clueless users everywhere using Macs and PCs.

yeah, it's Monday- A little slow on the catch.

 

[mklnk]

Yes, it was meant as hyperbole in an effort to emphasize that ones choice of OS has no bearing on that user's competence. There are savvy and clueless users everywhere using Macs and PCs.

I think what he was trying to say was that the iPad's target audience is specifically not savvy.

That's not to say that savvy people didn't go ahead and buy it anyway, or that ones choice of desktop operating system has anything to do with that.