The first iOS trojan, named “GoldDigger,” affecting Apple Inc.'s AAPL iPhone and iPad users, has been spotted in the wild.
What Happened: According to cybersecurity firm Group-IB, the intent of this GoldDigger trojan is to steal facial recognition data and use AI-generated deepfakes to steal money from bank accounts.
The GoldDigger trojan, initially developed for Android, has now been ported to target iPhone and iPad users. This could be the first trojan developed for iOS, posing a significant threat by collecting facial recognition data, ID documents, and SMS.
Hackers are using this data to create deepfakes with AI-based tools and gain access to victims’ bank accounts.
Initially, the trojan was distributed via Apple’s TestFlight, but after its removal, the hackers adopted a more sophisticated approach using a Mobile Device Management (MDM) profile.
See Also: Americans’ Love Affair With iPhone Grows Stronger: 1 In 8 Android Users Switched To Apple In 2023
This profile enables hackers to persuade users to install a malicious profile to download an app from outside the App Store, thereby collecting all the necessary data.
Group-IB reports that GoldDigger primarily targets users in Vietnam and Thailand but could potentially attack users worldwide.
The trojan is reportedly in an “active stage of evolution,” and even the latest versions of iOS and iPadOS are vulnerable. Group-IB says it has informed Apple about the trojan, and the company is likely working on a fix.
Why It Matters: This is not the first time Apple’s security has been compromised. In December 2020, the NSO Group exploited an iPhone ‘Zero Click’ vulnerability to hacking three dozen Al Jazeera journalists.
In another incident, Apple’s iPhones were backdoored for four years using the “most sophisticated attack chain” ever seen by cybersecurity researchers at Kaspersky. These incidents underline the importance of robust cybersecurity measures and constant vigilance to protect user data.
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of Benzinga Neuro and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photo courtesy: TheRegisti on Unsplash
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