This Malware Might Be Stealing Money From Bank Accounts Of iPhone Users, Here's How To Protect Yourself

As per the report, at the moment, the GoldPickaxe trojan is only being used to target victims in Vietnam and Thailand.

iPhone users are at threat as a new trojan virus is out in the market trying to drain their bank accounts. According to a new report from Group-IB, the Android trojan GoldDigger has been modified to enhance its capabilities which will make it easier for this malware to drain victims’ bank accounts. The malware was detected for the first time in October 2023. This new variation has been dubbed GoldPickaxe, with versions specifically designed for both Android and iOS devices.

Once this malware is installed on an iPhone or an Android phone, it can easily collect facial recognition data, identity documents and intercepted text messages, all to make it easier to siphon off funds from financial apps which are on your phone. If you thought that was it then it gets even worse. It will use your biometric data to create AI deep fakes to impersonate victims and access their bank accounts.

As per the report, at the moment, the GoldPickaxe trojan is only being used to target victims in Vietnam and Thailand. However, if it proves to be successful then the cybercriminals could expand their operations to target both iPhone and Android users in a number of countries.

How Can You Keep Your iPhone Safe From This Malware?

Apple is reportedly already aware of this trojan and is working on a fix. In the meantime, you can follow these tips to ensure your and your devices' security.

The first thing that you can do is to stop installing any apps through TestFlight. The same goes for adding a Mobile Device Management (MDM) profile to your iPhone. Your employer can only legally ask you to do this and that too when you have a company-issued iPhone.

There isn’t an equivalent of the best Android antivirus apps for iOS owing to Apple’s restrictions around malware scanning apps. But, with Intego Mac Internet Security X9 or Intego Mac Premium Bundle X9 — two of the best Mac antivirus software solutions — you will be able to scan an iPhone or iPad for malware but only when it’s connected to a Mac via a USB cable. 

For those who are at higher risk than others, enabling Lockdown Mode might be something that you should consider. Though this feature limits the functionality of some apps but, at the same time, you should also consider enabling Apple’s Stolen Device Protection, as it might give you peace of mind when it comes to having your iPhone stolen in person.