Kaspersky, a Russian cybersecurity firm, has reported that iPhones on its network were hacked using an iOS vulnerability that exploited iMessage zero-click attacks. This allowed the installation of malware without any user interaction. The attack took advantage of a vulnerability that led to code execution, enabling the download of additional malicious content from the attackers’ server.
While the message and attachment were wiped from the device, the payload remained, running with root privileges to collect system and user information and execute commands sent by the attackers. Kaspersky named this ongoing campaign “Operation Triangulation” and is seeking information from anyone who can provide further insights.
To analyze the malware, Kaspersky used the Mobile Verification Toolkit to create filesystem backups of infected iPhones, recovering information about the attack process and the functionality of the malware. Despite attempts by the malware to erase traces of the attack, signs of infection were still evident, such as modifications to system files that prevent iOS updates, abnormal data usage, and the injection of deprecated libraries.
The analysis revealed that the initial signs of infection date back to 2019, with the most recent infected iOS version being 15.7, while the latest major release is 16.5, potentially patching the vulnerability used in these attacks.
The iMessage exploit triggered an unidentified vulnerability in iOS, enabling code execution and fetching subsequent stages from the attacker’s server, including privilege escalation exploits.
Kaspersky provided a list of 15 domains associated with this malicious activity, allowing security administrators to check historical DNS logs for potential signs of exploitation on their devices.
Following root privilege escalation, the malware downloaded a comprehensive toolset that executed commands to collect system and user information, as well as download additional modules from the command and control (C2) server. The APT toolset dropped on the device lacks persistence mechanisms, meaning a reboot would effectively stop it.
In a parallel development, Russia’s FSB intelligence and security agency claimed that Apple intentionally provided the NSA with a backdoor to infect iPhones in Russia with spyware. The FSB alleged the discovery of malware infections on thousands of iPhones belonging to Russian government officials and staff from foreign embassies. However, the FSB did not offer any proof to support its claims.
Kaspersky confirmed that the attack affected its headquarters office in Moscow and employees in other countries but stated it cannot verify a link between its findings and the FSB’s report due to a lack of technical details.
