Malware Virus Removed From Apple App Store

By Charlene Cooper | Jul 06, 2012 02:50 PM EDT

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Apple found that for the first time ever, malware had hit its App store.

The malicious app, called Find and Call, was detected by the Kaspersky Lab, a Russian cyber security company. It was removed immediately on Thursday.

The malware app pretends to be an address book app, but instead sends users' personal information to a different server. This then results in users' contacts receiving spam messages encouraging them to also download the app.

The description of the app stated, "Find and call is a new technology for your mobile phone. For the first time in the world, you may not only make calls from your mobile phone, but also search for subscribers you need. Free calls from your mobile phone to domains, email, Skype, social network. Forget about numbers!!!"

Android's Google Play was also affected by the malicious app, which was also removed on Thursday.

The Apple App store has been available to users for four years, and this is the first time it has ever experienced malware.

Although this is a first for Apple, cases of malware are normal on Google Play. Only a year ago, close to a dozen fake Angry Birds apps were taken down after being found carrying viruses. After facing years of posed apps on the Android app, Google has increased mobile security to help reduce the problem. 

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