Security firm FireEye said in a blog post that XcodeGhost – a fake version of Xcode that injected malware into genuine apps – remains a threat. FireEye has identified a more advanced version of the compromised app development tool, XcodeGhost S, which has been designed to infect iOS 9 apps and allow compromised apps to escape detection by Apple.

XcodeGhost is planted in different versions of Xcode, including Xcode 7 (released for iOS 9 development). In the latest version, which we call XcodeGhost S, features have been added to infect iOS 9 and bypass static detection.

We have worked with Apple to have all XcodeGhost and XcodeGhost samples we have detected removed from the App Store.

The company said that by monitoring its customers’ networks, it identified 210 enterprises with infected apps running inside their networks – a third of them in the USA – generating 28,000 attempts to connect to the XcodeGhost Command and Control (CnC) servers … 

It notes that the servers are not currently under control by those behind XcodeGhost, but they are potentially vulnerable to hijacking attempts. Some enterprises have modified their domain name servers to block traffic to the CnC servers, but this does not necessarily protect devices when used outside the corporate networks.

The blog entry describes how XcodeGhost was able to circumvent the protection Apple introduced in iOS 9.

Apple introduced the “NSAppTransportSecurity” approach for iOS 9 to improve client-server connection security. By default, only secure connections (https with specific ciphers) are allowed on iOS 9. Due to this limitation, previous versions of XcodeGhost would fail to connect with the CnC server by using http. However, Apple also allows developers to add exceptions (“NSAllowsArbitraryLoads”) in the app’s Info.plist to allow http connection. The XcodeGhost S sample reads the setting of “NSAllowsArbitraryLoads” under the “NSAppTransportSecurity” entry in the app’s Info.plist and picks different CnC servers (http/https) based on this setting.

Earlier this year, a separate vulnerability was discovered that left some apps at risk when attempting to establish secure connections to servers.

Via PCWorld. Image ABC News.

Filed under: AAPL Company, Enterprise, iOS Tagged: App Store (iOS), Apple Inc, iOS, Malware, Xcode, XcodeGhost, XcodeGhost S

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These days, there are so many good TV shows on that it’s difficult to pick just one or two favorites, and on-demand streaming makes it even easier to watch your favorite shows on your own schedule, so it’s no surprise that some people have a hard time keeping track of which shows they’re behind on.

For many, the solution has come in the form of apps that take all of the work out of remembering when your favorite shows air and help you track which episodes you’ve seen or missed. Sometimes, however, these apps can be as complicated as the TV schedule you’re trying to track.

Today, a new app in that category called Cold Open has launched. It was created by a team of developers and designers known in the iOS and jailbreaking communities for their work on a variety of projects, and it’s one of the simplest TV apps yet, making it ridiculously easy to keep track of your watching habits.

Cold Open maintains its simplicity by paring down the number of screens you’ll have to deal with. When managing your library, there are only four possible screens to see: the main list, an episode detail view, an episode list, and a show overview.

The main list does exactly what you’d expect: it lists all of your shows in chronological order. Shows you’ve missed appear in a section at the top and upcoming shows appear in a separate section below that. Other sections for shows that are ongoing but currently on break, or cancelled altogether, also populate this screen if you need them.

Episode management from this screen is as simple as swiping a show from left to right. Doing so will mark the next unseen episode as viewed and rearrange the queue if you’re caught up. Swiping the opposite direction will quickly take you to the episode list. This list is also accessible from a button in the upper right corner of most other screens, and swiping episodes on this list will let you mark them as viewed just like the main screen. A button at the top of the screen will let you mark all episodes as seen or unseen at once.

If you tap on a show with a missed episode or an upcoming episode, you’ll be taken to the detail screen for that installment. This screen includes a piece of key art from the show, an airdate, and a plot synopsis. You can swipe through additional episodes like a deck of cards, or tap a button at the bottom to mark any episode as seen.

Back on the main screen, tapping a show with no upcoming episodes, or tapping the image next to a show’s title, will take you to the show detail view, which contains a broad overview of the premise, genre, number of episodes, cast information, the duration of each show, the broadcast schedule, whether or not the show has been cancelled, and the network you can watch on. There’s also a star rating from other viewers. You can add a show to your library from here, or remove it’s already on your list.

Tapping the plus button in the upper-right corner of the main screen will take you to a page that recommends popular shows based on existing ones in your library or a few stock categories like “Classics” or “New & Returning.” All of these categories and recommendations are based on an engine built by Cold Open’s developers, so you won’t find these exact lists anywhere else.

The Add Show page also lets you search for any show you want to find. Tapping a show from search or from one of the recommended categories will take you to the standard show overview page, where you can view all of the information listed above.

Finally, a settings page is accessible through the main screen. There aren’t actually many settings here, due to the app’s simple nature, but there are a few things you’ll want to see. The top of the page is where you can setup notifications for when your shows air. Two options are available: be notified when your show airs (or, rather, 10 minutes before), or be notified of all shows airing on a given day simultaneously at a time of your choosing.

You can also decide whether IMDB links (from the cast section of the series overview) should open in Safari, Chrome, or the IMDB app. At the bottom, beneath the developer credits, you’ll find an option for removing the two iAds that appear in the app. This in-app purchase costs $1.99.

While Cold Open is intended to be simple and straightforward, there are a few notable missing features that many have come to expect from TV tracking apps. Not to worry, the developers are already hard at work implementing these features, which include a Notification Center widget, an Apple Watch app, and support for 3D Touch gestures.

Unfortunately, version 1.0 won’t import your shows from the Trakt.tv service (or sync them back to it), but that will also be added in a future update. I’ve been told that Trakt is the team’s top priority at the moment. For now, iCloud syncing is available to keep your shows up-to-date between devices and ensure that if you have to restore your phone, you get back all of your data.

In my time using it, Cold Open has quickly become one of my favorite apps in the TV tracking category. It’s one of the easiest to use, and while it may not have every feature that I’d like at the moment, I’ve been using it consistently for quite some time now.

Cold Open is available for free on the App Store right now. As mentioned above, it contains two iAds that can be removed via $1.99 in-app purchase.

Filed under: Apps Tagged: Apps, cold open, TV

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If you’re curious to see how Microsoft’s digital assistant Cortana compares to Siri, you may be able to take it for a test-drive. Microsoft says that it has completed internal testing of Cortana for iOS and is now seeking beta testers.

Cortana is with you on your Windows 10 PC, tablet, and phone—helping you whenever and wherever you need it. But we also know that there’s a choice of mobile devices out there, so we want help from our Windows Insiders to make sure she’s a great personal assistant on iOS too. We’re looking for a limited number of people to get their hands on an early version of the […] Cortana for iOS beta … 

Microsoft cautions that the app is focused on acting as a companion to a Windows PC, so you won’t see all the functionality unless you are running Windows through Boot Camp or a virtual machine on Mac. The beta is only available to users based in the U.S. and China, and you’ll need to sign up for a free Windows Live account if you don’t already have one.

Those caveats aside, if you’d like to apply for access, head on over to the brief questionnaire.

As for that other virtual assistant, Apple recently added a Siri-based universal search facility to the latest Apple TV, and has confirmed that it will support Apple Music on the new device from early next year.

Via The Verge

Filed under: Apps, iOS, Tech Industry Tagged: Cortana, iOS, Microsoft, Siri

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For all I know, Apple may own my house. Like every other person on the planet, when faced with pages and pages of terms & conditions, I just click Accept and get on with my day.

But American artist Robert Sikoryak thinks he may have found a way to persuade us to read the iTunes terms and conditions: he’s turning them into a graphic novel, aka a lengthy comic. The Tumblr was spotted by TNW.

Sikoryak’s illustrations of the terms span over three volumes, documenting the entire agreement. It jumps between famous illustration styles and includes Steve Jobs as Tin Tin, Snoopy and even superhero Steve Jobs.

I still very much doubt I’m going to read the whole thing, but it’s a safe bet visitors to the Tumblr will read more of it than they ever have before.

Filed under: AAPL Company Tagged: Apple Inc, comic, Graphic novel, iTunes, Robert Sikoryak, Steve Jobs, Terms & conditions

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Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales has tweeted that Apple should stop selling iPhones in the UK if the British government succeeds in passing a “stupid” new law completely banning end-to-end encryption. The tweet was reported by the Independent.

I would like to see Apple refuse to sell iPhone in UK if gov't bans end-to-end encryption. Does Parliament dare be that stupid?

—
Jimmy Wales (@jimmy_wales) November 03, 2015

The Investigatory Powers Bill would require all Internet and technology companies to hand over to the government any communications data it requests. As things stand, Apple would be unable to comply with this requirement as it uses end-to-end encryption for services like iMessage and FaceTime.

As an illustration of the technological illiteracy of the government’s proposals, it originally wanted to ban encrypted communication altogether. It had to be pointed out to ministers that this would make Internet banking and online shopping illegal …

Apple has come under fire in the U.S. for its uncompromising stance on the privacy of customer data, with DOJ and FBI officials complaining that was Apple winning the PR battle. Apple lobbied Obama to reject similar proposals in the USA.

Photo: Apple Store in Regent Street, London (Foster & Partners)

Filed under: AAPL Company, iOS Devices Tagged: Apple Inc, Encryption, Investigatory Powers Bill, Law, legislation, privacy, Security

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iOS 9 continues to outstrip all previous versions of iOS in terms of pace of adoption. Apple has updated its developer site to show that 66% of all iOS devices are now running iOS 9, up from 61% less than a fortnight ago.

For comparison, iOS 8 had only hit 60% by the end of November last year, took until late December to get to 64% and January to reach 68%. The latest numbers also represent good news for the security of iOS devices … 

With Activation Lock introduced as of iOS 8, the latest numbers mean that 91% of all iPhones and iPads in use are protected against being used by someone else after they’ve been lost or stolen.

One factor likely to be in play is the fact that it’s possible to upgrade to iOS 9 even when your device doesn’t have enough free space. The introduction of new emojis in iOS 9.1 probably also helped drive demand.

The latest beta, iOS 9.2 beta 2, dropped yesterday.

Filed under: AAPL Company Tagged: Apple Inc, iOS, iOS 9, iOS 9 adoption, iPad, iPhone

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Generally reliable KGI analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has today shared an investment note in which he breaks down what Apple will do in terms of its smartphones come 2016. In the note, Kuo claims that Apple is still working on a refreshed 4-inch iPhone model…

Kuo says that the 4-inch iPhone “resembles an upgraded iPhone 5s” and features an A9 processor. The design of the device is somewhat unclear from Kuo’s report, but he hints that it will feature a metal casing as opposed to the plastic design featured on the iPhone 5c.

Furthermore, Kuo anticipates that Apple’s 4-inch iPhone will not feature 3D Touch in an effort on the company’s part to clearly differentiate it from the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus. Kuo believes there is still a healthy market for a 4-inch iPhone and that Apple will launch the device in the first half of 2016 and ship between 20 million and 30 million units by the end of the year.

Regarding the next major iPhone refresh, Kuo says Apple will keep on track with its normal third-quarter unveil and subsequent release of the device. Kuo anticipates that both the 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch models of the iPhone 7 will feature Apple’s A10 chip. The two variants of the device will differ, Kuo believes, when it comes to RAM. The analyst expects the 4.7-inch iPhone 7 to feature 2GB of RAM, like the current-gen devices, while the 5.5-inch iPhone 7 Plus will feature 3GB of RAM.

Kuo believes that Foxconn will be the sole manufacturer of the 4-inch iPhone and TSMC will produce the A9 chip for it. TSMC will also be the sole provider of the A10 chip for the iPhone 7, he anticipates.

Kuo makes no comments regarding earlier rumors stating the iPhone 7 will feature a new waterproof and dustproof design. The analyst also does not provide color on rumors that the device will move away from metal in favor of a new casing material.

Filed under: iOS Devices Tagged: Apple, iPhone, iPhone 7, rumor

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More than a year ago, Apple’s sapphire supplier GT Advanced Tech announced that it was filing for bankruptcy under Chapter 11, with the company parting ways with Apple as part of the restructuring. Despite the parting being amicable, GT still was in debt $439 million. Today, however, The Wall Street Journal reports that GT and Apple have come to an agreement on how to pay off that debt.

According to documents filed in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, GT Advanced Tech will auction off the sapphire manufacturing equipment it acquired while constructing its operations to build sapphire displays for Apple. GT will keep up to 600 furnaces as part of the agreement, while all unsold items will go to Apple. GT had originally revealed more than a year ago that it planned to sell the furnaces from its Arizona plant, but it was unable to do so, forcing it to turn to this auction idea.

The items that Apple receives will be disposed of. The company will then erase the loan it gave to GT when the partnership was originally constructed. The earnings from the auction itself will be split between GT and Apple.

Earlier this year, GT Advanced cut another 40 percent of its workforce after initially laying off 700 workers when it announced its bankruptcy.

Before GT and Apple can move on with the auction, a bankruptcy judge must sign off on the plan.

Filed under: AAPL Company Tagged: Apple, GT, GT Advanced Tech, Sapphire

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Ahead of the highly anticipated release of Fallout 4 on November 10th, Bethesda, the company behind the game, has released a new app called Fallout C.H.A.T. While it’s not an actual messaging app, or even an actual keyboard, it’s a neat way for fans of the popular Fallout series to communicate with one another.

C.H.A.T. stands for Communications Hub and Transmitter and the app itself consists of 60 different emoji characters and animated GIFs featuring the Vault Boy character. Users of the app can build their message within C.H.A.T., then export it to the communication app of their choosing as an image. In addition to choosing emoji and GIFs to send, users can also add text via a standard keyboard.

While it’s not the most seamless experience to have to share your message as an image, it’s definitely a unique and fun way for fans of Fallout to communicate. The app is also free to download on the App Store.

Back in June, Fallout Shelter was released on iOS as a free download. The basic idea of the app is to build yourself a subterranean paradise in a post-apocalyptic wasteland. Fallout 4 is slated to be released for PS4, Xbox One, and PC on November 10th.

Filed under: Apps Tagged: app, Fallout, keyboard

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Apple has built support for AT&T’s NumberSync technology into iOS 9.2 beta 2, which was released to developers earlier today. Currently Apple’s Continuity feature allows users to use their Mac, iPad, or iPod touch to make phone calls as long as the computer (or other iOS device) is connected to the same Wi-Fi network as their iPhone.

The software upgrade will allow users to enable Wi-Fi calling on all of those devices and make and receive calls without the need to be on the same network, or even in the same area.

Below you’ll find steps to setup and start using the feature now.

After upgrading to the latest beta software from Apple, AT&T subscribers will be able to start using NumberSync. First, open the Wi-Fi Calling settings page (Settings app > Phone > Wi-Fi Calling) and look for the option that says “Add Wi-Fi Calling For Other Devices.”

Tap that button to get started. You’ll need to step through a few agreements and acknowledgements, then you’ll be informed that the setting has been turned on.

Now you need to enable this option on your Mac. You should see a FaceTime notification appear instantly on your Mac informing you that it’s available. Clicking this banner or opening the FaceTime app will take you to the next part of the process.

You’ll be prompted to turn on Wi-Fi Calling by a banner at the top of the window. If you choose to dismiss this banner for now, you can get back to it by opening the FaceTime preferences window and selecting the “Upgrade to Wi-Fi Calling” button.

After selecting either of these options you’ll be presented with a code that you need to enter on your iPhone. This is similar to the setup process for SMS Forwarding.

After entering the code, you’ll need to confirm that your emergency location is setup correctly. This information will be used when you make a 911 call to provide emergency personnel with your address.

If you need to change this information later, you can access it from the FaceTime preferences window.

Now you’re all setup and should be able to start making calls from your Mac when your phone isn’t on the same Wi-Fi network. If you want to manage which devices are connected to your account or disable the feature entirely, you can do so in a new settings panel located just below the Wi-Fi Calling option on the Phone settings page.

In our testing, we were able to place and receive calls even when the connected iPhone was in Airplane Mode. This feature should be especially handy in the event of a dead phone battery or a missing handset.

Filed under: iOS, Mac Tagged: AT&T, ios 9.2, ios beta, Mac, NumberSync, wifi calling

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