iPhones hacked and shut off for ransom

[hab...@anony.net]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/apple/10857715/iPhones-frozen-by-hackers-demanding-ransom.html"I
went to check my phone and there was a message on the screen (it's
still there) saying that my device(s) had been hacked by 'Oleg Pliss'
and he/she/they demanded $100 USD/EUR (sent by paypal to
lock404(at)hotmail.com) to return them to me.

"I have no idea how this has happened. I am not aware of having been
exposed to malware or anything else, although i did recently purchase
some new apps - perhaps one of these has something to do with it? I
don't know."

Another user, Werewabbit, said: "I live in the UK and this has also
happened to me yesterday. Very worrying. And not a peep from Apple
yet. I have managed to change all my account details and passwords,
but just feels worrying."


An Australian government website, Stay Smart Online, has told affected
users not to pay the ransom.

"Currently there is only speculation about how the attacks have been
carried out. Apple has not yet responded officially," it says.

"With the possibility that this attack is linked to your �Apple ID�,
affected users are advised to change your Apple ID password as soon as
possible.

"It is not confirmed if or how these Apple IDs and passwords were
accessed, but suggestions include that hackers may be simply reusing
information they may have discovered during a breach of other online
services. Unfortunately, many people still commonly reuse the same
password for many of their online accounts. "

We contacted Apple but was told that the company would not be
commenting on the issue.

David Emm, from security firm Kaspersky Lab, said: "It seems likely
that cybercriminals gained access to Apple ID credentials, for example
by using phishing e-mails targeting Apple IDs.

"Such scams have been around for years. By using the credentials to
access an Apple iCloud account, the attackers can enable the 'Find My
iPhone' service - this is not only able to locate a lost or stolen
device, but also to set a passcode preventing third parties from
accessing the personal data stored on the smartphone.

"This is clearly a form of ransomware, previously only seen on PC and,
recently, on Android devices - although in these cases malware was
used to trigger this behaviour. This campaign is further proof that
cybercriminals are adopting criminal business models developed for the
PC, applying them to new areas and fine-tuning their methods."