'WireLurker' Malware Information: New Malware Targeting Apple Devices

Warning: iPhones and Mac computers are now at risk.

Palo Alto Networks has issued a public alert on the existence of a new family of malware that targets Apple's desktop and mobile operating systems.

Known as the "WireLurker," the malware that's specifically hostile to Apple devices is capable of installing third-party apps on regular, non-jailbroken iOS devices. The WireLurker can sneakily move to iPhones from infected Apple computers through USBs that act as transport systems.

This information was gathered from Ryan Olson, the Intelligence Director for the Palo Alto Network's Unit 42 Division.

According to Palo Alto Networks, the infestation has come from a particular third-party apps store in China. The malware has been noted to have initially infected mostly users in the country.

However, as the malware WireLurker infected more apps, it also continued to spread by getting uploaded to the apps store. The infected apps were consequently downloaded into Mac computers. Palo Alto states that the infected apps have already been downloaded over 350,000 times.

Malware, in general, are feared by the public because of the general perception that they can steal a user's private information, most notably financial credentials. The malware WireLurker, however, has not yet been definitely observed as doing anything of that sort. What it has been seen to do is send messages to contacts that it finds in the address book of users—something that is not really a high cause for alarm.

Just the same, Palo Alto Intelligence Director Ryan Olson is not letting his guard down. He thinks that WireLurker could steal a user's Apple ID or do something much worse.

The question is, why is this malware specifically targeting Apple devices? If there is something else other than plain greed from the malware developers behind such selectivity, it's a sure thing that all Apple users throughout the world would like to know about it.