Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Software Pirates Use Apple Tech To Put Hacked Apps on iPhones (reuters.com)

Posted by msmash on from the opening-pandora-box dept.

Pirates used Apple's enterprise developer certificates to put out hacked versions of some major apps, a report said Thursday. From the report: Illicit software distributors such as TutuApp, Panda Helper, AppValley and TweakBox have found ways to use digital certificates to get access to a program Apple introduced to let corporations distribute business apps to their employees without going through Apple's tightly controlled App Store. Using so-called enterprise developer certificates, these pirate operations are providing modified versions of popular apps to consumers, enabling them to stream music without ads and to circumvent fees and rules in games, depriving Apple and legitimate app makers of revenue. By doing so, the pirate app distributors are violating the rules of Apple's developer programs, which only allow apps to be distributed to the general public through the App Store. Downloading modified versions violates the terms of service of almost all major apps.

5 of 38 comments (clear)

  1. This gem... by JD-1027 · · Score: 5, Funny

    By doing so, the pirate app distributors are violating the rules of Apple's developer programs

    Someone should probably let the pirates know. I'm sure they'd like to comply.

  2. Oh my goodness! by silverkniveshotmail. · · Score: 2

    Hackers are modifying software and allowing it into the hands of other users? This changes everything.

  3. As usual... by DontBeAMoran · · Score: 2

    The weakest link in hardware/software security is people.

    To summarize: people are a problem. - Douglas Adams (short version of the original to better fit the topic)

    --
    #DeleteFacebook
  4. Re: A reckoning is coming by PhYrE2k2 · · Score: 2

    That is how you register an enterprise device. By installing the certificate in it. That enables trusting of apps, configuration profiles, and VPN connections.

    --

    when you see the word 'Linux', drink!
  5. Re:Why doesn't Apple revoke the certificates? by guruevi · · Score: 2

    Because these things happen before Apple finds out and revokes the certificate. Apple has no involvement with Enterprise apps, they don't distribute them. Until someone complains, they don't know, these "companies" also buy massive numbers of certificates under various names, not just one, when one gets revoked, they just buy and/or use another one

    --
    Custom electronics and digital signage for your business: www.evcircuits.com