Virus Alert: Trojan poses as iPhone game

by Kyle Orland { Sep 19th 2008 at 5:45PM }

All right, kiddies, we know all of you out there have dutifully replaced your DS with a gaming-powered iPhone 2.0, but with all that gaming power comes the responsibility to be careful. Thus, you should all be on the lookout for a new Windows virus masquerading as apparently popular iPhone game Penguin Panic.

According to Sophos, the computer-controlling Trojan shows up as a zipped attachment to an e-mail with a subject like "Virtual iPhone games!" or "Apple: The most popular game!" Ironically, it seems the virus won't actually infect your iPhone or any Mac-based computers. It also seems incapable of infecting other portable gaming systems, which should be a relief to those of you still living in the past with those long-defunct platforms.

Tags: iPhone, penguin-panic, trojan, virus

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Marty @ Sep 19th 2008 5:58PM

But, but... Apple makes secure platforms. This could *never* happen!

/sarcasm

propanol @ Sep 19th 2008 6:05PM

As mentioned in the post, the virus _doesn't_ affect Mac platforms (that is, OS X and its Iphone derivate). The article doesn't say, but I'm guessing this actually a windows virus.

Jakka(Free Mr.ESC!) @ Sep 19th 2008 6:11PM

^Defender to the rescue!^

ed @ Sep 19th 2008 6:11PM

You blind flid did you not read the article? It doesn't affect OS X or the phone.

No. You just read the headling only amirite?

Drdrew @ Sep 19th 2008 6:12PM

might i suggest "reading" next time before you flame, the article says "new windows virus" not iphone virus. The article also states the virus does not infect the iphone or mac computers.
but i can see how you can be confused. /sarcasm

Shaun @ Sep 20th 2008 3:04PM

HAHAHA!!!

OH so owned. It's untrue!

A Pissed-off English Gamer @ Sep 21st 2008 10:41AM

The virus's creator's probably either A: a MAC lover, or B: knows that a small fraction of the number of windows users use MACs.

As for our "long-defunct" platforms, that just reminded me of the Apple evet recently where a woman boasted that the iPhone is as good a platform as any of today's handhelds. I lol'd.

Tony Bowman @ Sep 19th 2008 6:07PM

this is the kind of stuff that having a hard restriction on what can be put on the iPhone is good for, keeping malevolent files off your phone.

not that this particular one would work anyway, since it's a windows virus, masquerading as an apparent iPhone game emulator.

Marty @ Sep 19th 2008 6:51PM

Sorry, but even this doesn't warrant the "kill switch."

Jakka(Free Mr.ESC!) @ Sep 19th 2008 6:18PM

Sorry to break it for ya but phone viruses ain't anything new.Virtually every owner of Symbian OS-based phone must've come across "caribe" which is essentialy a proof-virus written as an experiment to show it's possible.

And either way, this trojan seems really useless.

Zorink @ Sep 19th 2008 6:35PM

Is that Bowser feeling up Mario!?

Jakka(Free Mr.ESC!) @ Sep 19th 2008 6:56PM

63'd Bowser feeling up 63'd Mario to be precise.

Will @ Sep 19th 2008 7:23PM

My WinMo phones have never had a virus.. then again, my Windows PC has never had a virus either.

Macroy @ Sep 19th 2008 8:22PM

Oh hey, a post where 80% of commenters didn't read the article.

Recowkz @ Sep 19th 2008 8:32PM

OH THE IRONY

The iPhone virus wont affect OSX or iPhone but will affect Windows XP.

TomCo @ Sep 20th 2008 6:45PM

I don't see any irony there at all.

iconmaster @ Sep 19th 2008 8:45PM

Read it again folks -- it's not an iPhone virus at all. It's just plain ol' malware being spread via social engineering with emails that just happen to mention the iPhone.

Mike @ Sep 19th 2008 10:22PM

Is it wrong that my first reaction to this headline was "I knew it! Those lazy asses moderating the iPhone App Store don't give two shits about quality control!"? I really don't trust that those guys take weeks to accept apps for "quality control" purposes.

Also, is it just me or does the "Remember Me" setting for comments not work anymore?

ronald.raygun @ Sep 20th 2008 12:03AM

i know this is a windows virus, but since the iphone is easily hacked from what i understand, im sure there's a chance of a virus being d/led to it faked as an app.

what worries me is when i get my android phone that i might get a virus, hopefully i wont get fooled with one.

ill trooper @ Sep 20th 2008 9:03PM

From what I understand, you don't understand.

Alvin @ Sep 20th 2008 1:37AM

mmm, i will still buy one :D

Burnt Meatloaf @ Sep 20th 2008 7:10AM

It's amazing how little it takes to get your typical Wintard to run executable files directly over the Internet.

I feel sorry for ignorant people, really, but a computer is a powerful tool, and every power tool requires some level of training lest you should chop off a leg.

Tasogare @ Sep 20th 2008 10:14AM

Yet Mac people are SOOOOOOOOO much dumber, AND Safari is one of the least secure browsers you can use.

But yes...too many stupid people on the internet.

Alex @ Sep 20th 2008 1:08PM

Tasogare, I think he was trying to say that most _computer_ users are stupid, not Windows/Mac people.
I used Opera on my PC and in about 7/8 years of owning computers, I have NEVER got a virus because I was careful. Really, I think only ignorant people get viruses who deserve them.
It isn't hard to download the free AVG or just to go out and buy something.

kagai @ Sep 20th 2008 9:43AM

I will never get rid of my DS...I love her...err, I mean IT!

Max @ Sep 20th 2008 10:50AM

Are you people idiots? This has nothing to do with the iPhone or the Mac. I'm not a fanboy, it's just a fact. It's a stupid attachment virus like so many others.

Plus anyone with an iphone and a brain would realize it can't be legit since there's no way to get a downloaded game onto an iPhone on any platform -- only through the store.