We sort of knew this would happen as soon as we heard about that
iPhone wallpaper hack in the Netherlands -- a hacker named ikex has created what's apparently the first iPhone worm, and it's currently infecting jailbroken iPhones across Australia. The "ikee" worm, as it's being called, takes advantage of the fact that jailbroken iPhones with SSH installed all have the same default root password of "alpine," and once in the system it changes your wallpaper to an image of Rick Astley and then tries to install itself on other jailbroken iPhones on the network. Sophos says it hasn't confirmed any infections outside of Oz, and to be clear, this worm can't get to stock iPhones or jailbreak owners who haven't installed SSH -- but if you're running a hacked phone we'd say you should
change that root password just to be safe right away. Get to it, kids.
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
posted Nov 8th 2009 10:48PM
sensationalist headline
Why? It is the first iPhone worm, it only affects jailbroken phones and it rickrolls your handset. Headline seems spot-on to me.
simbr-
you mean it only affects jailbroken iphones with ssh installed with the default password in australia
Heyyyyyyyyy, that video's not about gardening!
Anybody seen this awesome video revealing the apple slate? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHg5SJYRHA0
I'm sooooo not going to fall for it....
But just to be shure....
...
...
...
DAAAAAAAAAAMNNNNNN!!!!!
Yo Taylor, I'm really happy for you, I'm gonna let you finish, but Rick Astley had one of the best videos of all time...one of the best of ALL TIME!!!
Yeah, that film is about gardening. It tells you that you should never give up on your plants because you get attached to them after a while. It's also in their best interests to dance like an idiot while wearing Wayfarers.
Australia has iphones?
Yeah Australia has iPhones, ours actually run at full 7.2mbit and even have crazy stuff like tethering, you can even have more than one in a cell without dropping out n stuff. It's way cool eh.
You can buy em on any carrier and direct from Apple with no contract. You can get em $0, prepaid, on plans. It's mad!! Oh and we don't get charged to receive calls and texts, like ever.
Why, where u, maybe u got iPhones with no network perhaps?
Oh yeah Australia has iPhones. We got ones that can go at full 7.2mbit, even in small towns and you can have multiple devices in a cell with no dropped calls. Ours also have other crazy stuff like tethering and you can even upload video's n stuff like it was DSL but in the bush. Heck it's like walking round with permanent wifi some days, even on most highways.
You can get em from any carrier, even unlocked with no contract direct from Apple. You can get em for $0, on prepaid, on a plan. It's outlandish! And the thing you dig the most, we don't get charged to receive calls and texts, even if it's a video mms!
Why where you live? You got iPhones and no network maybe?
No internet? Not a problem...they'll still find you:
http://x4f.xanga.com/750f561044530257158134/b204613574.jpg
but I will tell you what is the same in Australia. The f'ing awful engadget comment system
He has been so trying so hard to look like Elvis; wannabes are so not cool. Check out his interview with Robert Smigel!
@Cy Starkman,
I tip my hat to you sir. Better call the fire brigade... someone got burned hehe
Just what every jailbroken iPhone user deserves... a date with Rick Astley. Jailbreakers are the equivalent of children whose parents tell them not to run around with scissors in their hands. But I'm almost an adult and nobody tells me what to do, especially Apple. That's so damn funny. Hearing about jailbroken iPhone users getting Rickrolled is rather amusing. I hope it continues to go on for a while. Rick's revenge.
CAN YOU HEAR ME SINGING NOW? Oh wait, that's Verizon...
I think this is the first time I actually want my phone to be infected with a worm.
Bring it on, Rick Astley!
Well, honestly the song does tell exactly how an iPhone owner feels about their phone...
NEVER GONNA GIVE YOU UP NEVER GONNA LET YOU DOWN !!!!...
Yea but that means everyone points and laughs at the people with iPhones. Oh wait, I guess it does describe it pretty well.
honestly when i saw this, i thought the hack involved your iphone getting random calls w/ rick astley singing. that'd be the best prank hack ever. YOU HACKERS HEAR ME??
sounds like a special request
Sure Dave, what's your number?
How about posting how to change the root default password?
Because it's painfully obvious if you've ever used *nix.
Assuming you have MobileTerminal installed on the phone:
1. Run 'su' enter password 'alpine'
2. Run 'passwd' follow the prompts, change to something secure.
Optionally, turn SSHd off when you aren't using it by installing SSH Toggle (IIRC) from Cydia.
You can also toggle ssh on and off in SBSettings.....under more/Set toggles.
Yes, so "painfully obvious."
This is why "*nix" has no public presence. Because of the arrogance of those with knowledge.
Fortunately, the arrogance on this commenter was light enough to allow him to post the solution. The darkness is still weak with this one, but they all succumb to it eventually.
Last time I checked, if you change the root password it screws up a lot of stuff. The pass is hard coded into several apps that make the phone/ipod work.
@barry99705
And that's why these "one button" jailbreak tools are bad. Cause any idiot can hit a button, but to really do things right requires some experience with cli (that short for command line for all you not*nix heads ;) ).
@Brian
I hear you about some hardcore users but actually Linux has a pretty good support network. But it's hard when people come around asking how to fix something you know they shouldn't have had any business messing with. You know what I mean? After the umpteenth time, it wears on your nerves... so cut nerdtalker some slack...
@Brian,
We share the same name but not sentiment. Conversely, one could say that *nix remains difficult for underlings to understand or use because they're both averse to searching google for answers, or because they think they're always intitled to help.
That said, I wasn't trying to be arrogant, merely helpful and perhaps defend why the engadget editors didn't make or link to a step by step guide. It's because - well, passwd is pretty fundamental. That said we were all noobs once, right?
Also regarding stuff not working I'm pretty sure that's an old problem. I've changed mine and nothing bad has happened yet.
@nerdtalker: While I grant that we might assume anyone installing SSH on their jailbroken iPhone knows or has been told about at least one shell command (else why would they install it?), I don't think any shell command can ever be called "painfully obvious." There's the major hurdle that you have to know a command exists before you can call it.
thats one sexy devil in the background there
Does it change the ringtone to "Never gonna give you up"? It would be funny too if the worm make fake call at random time and then play the song when people answer it.
refer back to my post >.
haha... hahahahaha XD!!!
Well now that someone can claim to be the first, hopefully thatll dissuade anyone else from wasting time on creating another.
Never gonna give you up, never gonna let you live not changing your root password down....
You've got to admit this is pretty funny.
It was pretty funny. I would have gone with this image though....
http://modmyi.com/iphone_wallpapers/images/140329/1_bart_bgA04.jpg
What a lame generic iPicture.
hey! theres a worm in my apple!
One bad Apple spoils the whole bunch. . . . .
points for being the first in with that comment :P
I'm surprised it wasn't the first one posted :P
I wouldn't b surprised if verizon behind this.
Yeah, because Verizon has a major presence in Australia...
i wouldn't be surprised if apple was behind this
I wouldn't be surprised if Rick Astley was behind this.
I would be extremely surprised if a hacker was behind this.
I wouldn't be surprised if you were involved in this. Yes, you. No, not someone else reading this. You.
(now when the hacker reads through the comments he'll think I'm on to him c:)
I have 4 iPhones if this happens.
I will be pissed.