Apple picking up the pieces after App Store attack

Cybersecurity firms uncover malicious software in hundreds of legitimate applications

Apple is hunting and removing a large number of malicious programmes and software following what is said to be the first major attack on the iPhone maker's store.

A number of cybersecurity companies including Palo Alto identified that hundreds of verified apps had been infected with a malicious programme, which has been dubbed XcodeGhost, reports Reuters.

Before this attack, only five infected apps had allegedly ever been found on the App Store according to Palo Alto, with many not making it past Apple's demanding app review process.

In this instance hackers were able to trick developers of legitimate software into using a fake version of Apple's platform for building iOS and Mac apps, called Xcode, the company claimed.

Apple representative Christine Monaghan commented in an email to Reuters: "We've removed the apps from the App Store that we know have been created with this counterfeit software. We are working with the developers to make sure they are using the proper version of Xcode to rebuild their apps."

The attack comes just after the tech firm revealed the new iPhone 6S, the App Store-based Apple TV and the iPad Pro.

The super-sized 12in tablet, as well as partnerships with Cisco and IBM, highlight Apple's shift into the corporate space, a move that chairman of TechMarketView Richard Holway said is a source of fear for the channel.

Researchers looking into the onslaught said that among the tainted apps was chat app WeChat, from Chinese firm Tencent, which is also partnered with IBM.

Ryan Olson, director of threat intelligence at Palo Alto Networks, assured Apple users that the malware had limited functionality, and that the vendor had not seen any evidence of data theft in this attack.

Apple has declined to say how many apps it had found to be affected.