iOS App Store apps with screenshot-reading malware found for the first time

image via The Verge

February 5, 2025, 6:03 PM

• •Kaspersky discovered ‘SparkCat’ malware that uses OCR tech to extract text from images and steal cryptocurrency.
• •The malware is found in multiple iOS apps, including AI chat apps WeTink and AnyGPT, and a legitimate-seeming food delivery app called ComeCome.
• •Neither Apple nor Google immediately responded to The Verge’s request for comment.

Kaspersky discovered ‘SparkCat’ malware aimed at stealing cryptocurrency in multiple iOS apps. It’s the “first known case” of apps infected with malware that uses OCR tech to extract text from images making it into Apple’s App Store. The malware works by triggering a request to access users’ photo galleries when they attempt to use chat support within the infected app. Once permission is granted, it uses Google OCR tech, which lets it decipher text found in photos, to look for things like screenshots of crypto wallet passwords or recovery phrases. The software then sends any images it finds back to the attackers, who can then use the info to access the wallets and steal crypto.

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