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Australian iPhone and iPad Users Waylaid By Ransomware
DavidGilbert99 (2607235) writes "Multiple iPhone/iPad/Mac users in Australia are reporting their devices being remotely locked and a ransom demand being made to get them unlocked again. However, unlike PC ransomware, the vector of attack here seems to be Apple's iCloud service with the attacker getting to a database of username/password credentials associated with the accounts. It is unclear if the database was one of Apple's or the hacker is simply using the fact that people reuse the same password for multiple accounts and is using data stolen from another source. Apple is yet to respond, but there has already been one report of the issue affecting a user in the UK."
Where do you get such misinformation? Apple deprecated the use of OpenSSL when it deprecated CDSA back in 2011 for OS X in favor of Common Crypto. At the time there was some mumblings about how Apple didn't like standards. And Apple has never used OpenSSL in iOS.
. . . although OS X provides OpenSSL libraries, the OpenSSL libraries in OS X are deprecated, and OpenSSL has never been provided as part of iOS.
It's not a MITM atack, but rather the hackers are exploiting a vulnerability in iCloud. Then, using the "Find Device" option they block the phone and demand a 100 euro ransom to unlock them, which the user must pay via PayPal. If the user had enabled two-step authentication they could re-gain control of the phone, otherwise they would be forced to pay the ransom. Full article from the Sydney Morning Herald: http://www.smh.com.au/digital-life/consumer-security/australian-apple-idevices-hijacked-held-to-ransom-20140527-zrpbj.html
Apple is built on older versions of OpenSSL - this looks like it might be because they weren't quick enough to adapt, and someone snuck in under the radar. Lets hope they get it sorted quickly!
Apple deprecated the use of OpenSSL in 2011, and the version shipped with OS X was never updated to the versions which introduced Heartbleed. Strike 1!
OpenSSL has never been used in iOS. Strike 2!
Apple also was not using affected versions in any of its online/cloud services. Strike 3!
You're out! Your post was ridiculously bad even by /. standards!
Apple do have two-factor authentication these days. If you have that enabled, anyone attempting to log on to your account has to have access to one of your devices or one of your fall-back accounts. Frankly, that should be turned on by default.
My new rule of thumb is that anything I don't have protected by two-factor is something I can afford to lose access to. That's not to say that two-factor is a panacea - it's very easy to set it up so it's useless by, for example, giving a less-secure email address as a fall-back - but it's the minimum for anything I care about.
No kidding!!! What do you say at this point?