New malware for iOS is able to ostensibly disable an iPhone that is disabled by its user, but in reality keep it quiet. This allows the malware to spy on the user without noticing, while he or she thinks that his or her iPhone is turned off.
The malware was developed by the security company ZecOps, which aims to demonstrate a weakness in the iOS mobile operating system. The malware kicks in as soon as users try to turn off their iPhone. They will see the normal shutdown procedure on the screen, suggesting that the device has been shut down properly. In reality, however, the malware intercepts this process and stops it without the user’s knowledge.
ZecOps makes a proof-of-concept available, with which it wants to demonstrate the operation of the vulnerability. The company also points out that users should never assume that a device that appears to be turned off is actually turned off. According to the researchers, users only have this guarantee if the battery has been removed from the device.
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