Safari malware attack thwarted in iOS 10.3, so as you were

Technology

APPLE HAS SWEPT IN LIKE A GLORIOUS DUCK and released an update to iOS (10.3) that saves you lovely punters from enduring JavaScript-using scammers on Safari.

We know that people who go on Safari tend to shoot things, they are bastards, so too are the people who create malware not just for Safari, but for everything. We can't shoot them, though.

A cyber security company called Lookout has the skinny on how heroic Apple has been here. It says that it discovered the scareware malware on the Safari after a user told it about an incident on iOS 10.2, but who cares about that now that Apple has blessed us with iOS 10.3.

"The scammers abused the handling of pop-up dialogs in Mobile Safari in such a way that it would lock out a victim from using the browser. The attack would block use of the Safari browser on iOS until the victim pays the attacker money in the form of an iTunes Gift Card. During the lockout, the attackers displayed threatening messaging in an attempt to scare and coerce victims into paying," said LookOut.

"However, a knowledgeable user could restore functionality of Mobile Safari by clearing the browser's cache via the the iOS Settings — the attack doesn't actually encrypt any data and hold it ransom. Its purpose is to scare the victim into paying to unlock the browser before he realizes he doesn't have to pay the ransom to recover data or access the browser."

Imagine how angry you would feel if you were caught out like this. If only you could get hold of the little buggers. Well, ya can't but you can and you should update to iOS.3.

"Individuals are strongly encouraged to protect their iOS devices against this attack and take advantage of a number of other security patches that Apple made available in iOS 10.3," said LookOut.

"Lookout users will be prompted to update their operating system to 10.3 if they have not already done so."

Source: theinquirer