Cyberattack Targeting iPhones Also Aims At Android And Windows Users

The cyberattack on iPhones’ operating system reported by Google last week actually has a broader scale than expected. Sources familiar with the situation affirmed that Android and Microsoft Windows were also two of the targets. This scheme is supposed to be a state-backed campaign with the purpose to surveil the Uighur ethnic group in China who has long been under the supervision of the Chinese government.

Google researchers have identified a group of websites infected with iPhones-targeted malware earlier this year but only brought them to light on August 29. That said, once users visited the infected sites, hackers could break into their phones’ operating system, thus getting access to even encrypted messaging apps like WhatsApp or Telegram.

Though the intention of the attack remains unknown, the implant allowed hackers to explore victims’ personal data including GPS location, emails, photos, and contacts. For devices like iPhones, owning the operating system means taking control of everything inside. In his report of the hidden malware, Google researcher Ian Beer said attackers had gained access to all messages exchanging using the apps, as well as all database files connected to these apps.

Malicious websites: A two-year effort that went beyond iOS

Sources revealed that not only iPhones but devices using Microsoft Windows and Google’s Android were also targeted with the same sites. Hackers behind the attack have continuously updated the malware to accommodate other operating systems, following the changes in the digital habits of China’s Uighur community.

Also, the cyberattack gives the sign of a mass surveillance operation empowered by the Chinese government. Physical cameras have already been set across the region where facial recognition remains a common practice. Cooper Quintin, a senior technologist at the Electronic Frontier Foundation said:

Both Google and Microsoft still stay silent about the report. Microsoft's spokesperson stated Google hadn’t disclosed such information to them, and Google had been very specific that iPhones were the only victim.