Advanced iOS Trojan targeting the Hong Kong protesters

Cyber researchers are clamming to discover the first iOS Trojan, which attacks on the mob of Hong Kong protesters to affect their communications. 

An iOS Trojan known as Xsser mRat is similar in function as an Android virus, and discovered by cyber security researchers, who all believe that this iOS virus is targeting the pro-democracy protesters of Hong Kong. It is computer virus, which spies the operating system of on Apple's such as; iPhone and iPad. According to Lacoon Mobile Security, Xsser mRat is absolutely similar to the spyware of Android, which has initially infected the infected mobile users in Hong Kong. Android spyware was designed to coordinates the protesters of Hong Kong, but soon after infection it launches an attack.

Significance of a cross-platform mobile attack was reported by Lacoon. This cross-platform attack targeted the both Android and as well as iOS and it indicates that it may be conducted by nation state or a very large organization. The fact behind the attack was to use it against the protesters of Hong Kong and it was executed by Chinese-speaking cyber attackers, as first iOS Trojan attack linked to the cyber activity of Chinese government.

The Xsser mRAT is significant as it is first and one of the most advanced, fully operational and functional Chinese iOS Trojan. This malicious software is known as Xsser and is well-capable to steal the text messages, call details, photos, passwords, and other data from Apple devices such as; iPad and iPhone. According to Michael Shaulov, Chief Executive of Lacoon, that Xsser is the most advanced and sophisticated malware and it used to date in any known cyber attack of iOS users.

Programming community Code4HK is working on to support the democracy movement, but in actual it has nothing to do with this phishing expedition. But iPhone and iPad devices are getting infected by single click with mobile Remote Access Trojan (mRAT), when any user clicks on any specific link and soon after that it can easily access the personal data, physical location of phone or device, and can spy on phone calls.

An anonymous attacker was responsible for spreading this Android spyware with the help of platform likes; WhatsApp. Still it’s unclear that how iOS devices get infected by Xsser. According to Michael Shaulov, it is one of the most advanced and interesting developments, as the code used in these programmers are written in Chinese. According to researchers the campaign is high quality and it is coming from somewhere China by sophisticated attackers.

Trojan is the term; used by cyber researchers for virus and it describe malwares, which can enter in the technical device and harm the same. Still Apple has to identify any specific individual, who is suffering from iOS Trojan. It is expected that, it can cross borders easily and it is possible that Chinese-speaking entity is operating the iOS Trojan to spy on foreign companies, individuals, or it can be entire governments or system.