RCS Malware Affects iOS And Android Devices Internationally

Remote Control System malware has been identified by the folks at Kaspersky Lab this week as affecting both iOS (iPhone) and Android devices across the planet. This system is said to be controlled by an international infrastructure which allows this "legal" spyware to take hold of devices at the hands of the company known as HackingTeam.

This "RCS" tool also goes by the name Galileo and Kaspersky Lab suggests that they've compiled a list of victims from across the planet. They suggest that journalists, politicians, activists, and human rights advocates have all been targeted.

The above image shows what Kaspersky suggests are the countries of the current HackingTeam servers' locations.

Kaspersky have suggested that in order for an iPhone to be infected with Galileo, they'll have had to have been jailbroken. They even go so far as to mention that "an attacker can run a jailbreaking tool like 'Evasi0n' via a previously infected computer and conduct a remote jailbreak, followed by the infection."

Kaspersky also suggest that "To avoid infection risks, Kaspersky Lab recommends that people refrain from jailbreaking their iPhones, and also constantly update the iOS on the device to the latest version."

Android devices are supposedly also at risk, though Kaspersky doesn't go in-depth on how these devices are infected. The security team also suggests that their "Kaspersky Lab products" are able to detect the spyware tools and infected devices, of course.

It should also be made clear that the information shared by Kaspersky lab today was joined by assurances of how Kaspersky customers are benefitting from this research. "We like to think," says Kaspersky Lab Expert GReAT, "that if we're able to protect our customers from such advanced threats, then we'll sure have no trouble with lesser, more common threats like those posed by cybercriminals."

VIA: SecureList