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Apple App Store finally hit with malicious program

Apple App Store finally hit with malicious program

The Apple Store has been affected by malware finally.

It’s been a long time coming, but it seems as though Apple’s App Store has finally been besmirched by spam. Forbes reports that just as the company was being lauded for its great job of keeping iPhones free of malware-infected apps for five years, the spammers have finally made their way into the store.

The news source reported that researchers found an app called “Find and Call” in Apple’s App Store and Google’s Play market that will upload all content from the user’s phone and send text and email spam to every number in the phone book. Users may want to block applications like this program to avoid being the source of any nasty spam to friends, family and associates.

“Those messages, written in Russian and first reported by Russian mobile carrier MegaFon, simply advertise the app and include a link to a download site,” according to Forbes. “But the app, which advertises itself as a tool for aggregating and simplifying contacts, doesn’t warn users it plans to upload their entire phonebook and mass-text and mass-email everyone they know. Add in the fact that it also spoofs the user’s number so that text messages appear to come from a trusted sender’s phone, and ‘Find and Call’ almost certainly qualifies as the scummiest app to ever find its way past Apple’s significant security measures.”

One security researcher said this is the first time there is a confirmed case of malware in the store. He told the news source that all of the users plagued by the malware so far seem to be Russian.

For now, the app has been removed by the powers that be at Apple, but this could be the first in a line of other malicious apps that come through. This means users must be careful no matter what they are downloading or where they are downloading it from. CNET said Apple’s approval process is supposed to keep apps like these out and this has been touted as one benefit of using Apple, so having this happen is not a good moment for the company.

Forbes said this app was less of a real life threat and more of an “aggressive marketing annoyance,” but it’s an annoyance all the same and should be looked out for by iPhone and Android users alike.

Did you download this app? Do you think of the Apple App Store as being mostly secure? Let us know your thoughts!

About The Author

Matt Williams

A self-proclaimed ‘tech geek’, Matt has worked in technology for a decade and divides his time between blogging and working in IT. A huge New York Giants fan, expert on Reboot Restore Technology when not watching football Matt gets his game on playing Call of Duty with his friends and other tech bloggers.

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