How to Protect yourself from the iPhone Virus
iPhone | Hans | July 30, 2009 at 1:30 pmWant to protect yourself from the iPhone SMS virus? Apple has not released an iPhone 3.1 update yet, and I have no idea when they will be doing so. I 
could turn off my iPhone and keep it safe, but I’d rather keep it on! I’ve figured out a way to disable the SMS App, but I’m not sure whether or not this will still prevent the virus. Read on below to find out how you can do the same.
How to disable the SMS App
- Jailbreak your iPhone using either redsn0w or purplera1n
- Go to Cydia, search for OpenSSH and install it
- Download an SSH client (WinSCP for Windows users and Cyberduck for Mac)
- Make sure WiFi is turned on, go to Settings -> WiFi. Select your network and check your iPhone’s IP. SSH in to your iPhone using the iPhone’s IP. Login with the Username: root and Password: alpine.
- Navigate to the Applications directory
- Locate the directory named MobileSMS.app. Right-click and click on properties. Where it says Permissions uncheck all the options.
- Click OK.
- To test if you did this right, tap the SMS app on your iPhone and it should crash when you launch it!
Once you’ve followed the steps above, the SMS app stops working. I’m keeping my iPhone like this until Apple releases a firmware update, or until Chronic Dev Team is able to release a patch before Apple does. If you want your SMS app back at any time you can fix it by following Step 6 and setting the permissions back to 0755.
Warning: Do not attempt to do this tutorial if you’re not sure how to SSH or change file permissions! Wait for Apple’s firmware update.
I’ll update the site once a firmware update or a real patch is released.
Tags: Apple, iPhone, iPhone virus, SMS
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Dude I text alot, so that means I won’t be able to text or recieve anything?!?!
Could the same thing be achieved by setting the parental controls to disable SMS? Much easier and wouldn’t require a jailbreak.
Just a thought.
There is no Parental Control Option for SMS
This is a bit of a daft fix.. hold on, i must remember to turn off my SMS on my PHONE
Does this affect the latest 3.1 beta?
does this only apply on the default SMS app? I use iRealSMS – would it affect that too?
Also, the attack described at Black Hat wouldn’t necessarily be stopped by this ‘fix’ since it’s pretty low level. Just breaking the SMS app prevents you from sending or viewing text messages, but doesn’t stop the phone from receiving them at the modem level.
You can probably disable SMS to your phone at AT&T’s web site if you’re that worried, though the attack as described would just require you to reboot your phone and sounds more annoying than deadly.
Sure, it might turn into code execution later, these things often do, which is why it needs patching. But panicking and breaking apps on your phone is, indeed, as another commenter put it, “Daft.”
Mr_security_man, I totally agree with what your saying, but I think if this attack cannot access sms, it won’t be able to control the phone if they do not establish a connection. But I’m just guessing. And as for rebooting everytime, I think it would be extremely annoying, though, I wonder if they can establish a connection once the phone is turned off.
Ya I say screw it! Let em try and take our phones over!! Uber FAIL
Will the iPhone get rid of the virus if I restored the firmware?
Is the factory setting for the MobileSMS.app 0755 or 0775? This tutorial worked, but I forgot to look at the factory number.
Just install an app called mcleaner or iblacklist. This will block unknown numbers. You should be safe. :)
I use mcleaner as a filter, would that help protect me for now??
mcleanr and iblacklist dont stop sms from recieving. sms recieves through the modem and then iblacklist will check if its a known number. so if u install those u will be less aware that u have the virius lol
Im hoping the dev team create a patch first, apple will then realise they made a mistake trying to get rid of jailbreak.
They restricted the iphone so much, they must be embarrased knowing a virus was caused by the core iphone and not the jailbreak software.
This gives Apple the perfect opportunity to release a patch and upgrade of firmware to stop future jailbreaks. As we are all aware we have been “advised” not to upgrade to 3.1 as apple are trying to stop jailbreaking, now everyone will HAVE to patch in order to remain safe.
Lets just hope the DEV team feel strongly about this as they do jailbreaking, and lets hope they can come up with a fix for this without us having to upgrade using apples locked firmware.
Wow. Please pull this crap down before you make “the jailbreak community” look like a bunch of idiots and give Apple a reason to point their finger. Have you even tested this to verify that it works? There is no reason that disabling an app is going stop the underlying system from receiving SMS. This is just dumb and plain unsafe because it promotes a false sense of security for people who don’t know anymore.
Again, please take this down immediately so that people who release a *real* patch will be taken seriously if it happens. This is not what I want to see the jail break community turn into.
The moron who released the virus is the one who should be blamed.
Apples refusal to take this seriously is expected from a stubborn greedy policy but no justification to those creating viruses, stealing other peoples calls and credits.
So personally, the virus creature can go F_ck himself.
Typical society reject living in the garage I guess.
I will never let such scum affect my life.
Keep messages on. Stop this fear.
Enjoy things to the full.
What if no other iPhone users have my number. If they can only do this to iPhones. I should be pretty safe. Right?
This sounds stupid but would turning off your texting plan with your carrier help prevent the virus? (turn off texting as in not allow to receive or send any text)
You can still upgrade and jailbreak on 3.1, its just the unlock that will be a problem, so if Apple does release a patch in 3.1 it still would be possible to upgrade and keep the jailbreak. Of course we don’t know for sure until 3.1 is out….
Patch is out!