Russian hacker exploit Mac apps on OS X, Everything is Free

Last week Russian developer Alexey Borodin hacked Apple's In-App Purchase program for all devices running iOS 3.0 or later, allowing iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch users to circumvent the payment process and essentially steal in-app content. Apple today announced a temporary fix and that it would patch the holes with the release of iOS 6. While Cupertino was distracted, Borodin came in and pulled off the same scheme on the Mac.

That's right. Borodin's new hack allows Mac users to circumvent the payment process and essentially steal in-app content, just like his previous one did for iOS. The new "In-Appstore for OS X" service uses a similar method to fake transactions made to Apple's servers, according to "Getting started to receive your in-app for free on OS X."

To use this "trick" yourself, you need to perform the following steps (for the record, I do not recommend doing this, especially given that you have to hand over your login credentials):

• Install CA certificate and in-appstore.com certificate
• Change DNS record in Wi-Fi settings
• Running Grim Receiper application (to save your original AppStore receipts)

Until Apple stepped in, iOS developers had no way of protecting their apps, and this looks to be the same situation for Mac app developers. Using store receipts doesn't work as Borodin's service simply needed a single donated receipt, which it could then use to authenticate anyone's purchase requests. His circumvention technique relies on installing certificates (for a fake in-app purchase server and a custom DNS server), changing DNS settings to allow the authentication of "purchases," and finally emulating the receipt verification server.

The only difference this time around (apart from the different store), is that Borodin has developed an app called "Grim Receiper." It must be run on the local machine, and as far as I can tell its main purpose is to collect receipts for reuse. "That's the tool to keep your original receipts in safe place (locally, of course) during you are using in-appstore.com," says Borodin.

Affected iOS apps treated Borodin's server as an official communication because of how Apple authenticates a purchase. The same thing goes for Mac apps. The problem is that Apple does not tie a given purchase directly to a customer or device, meaning a single purchased receipt can be used again and again.

It's not yet clear if Cupertino is transmitting its customers' Apple IDs and passwords in clear text just like it was for iOS (Apple assumed it would only ever be communicating with its own server). If so, whoever operates in-appstore.com could easily be gathering everyone's iTunes login credentials (as well as unique device-identifying data) in the same type of man-in-the-middle attack that was used for iOS.

When Apple first tried (and failed) to stop Borodin, the company managed to disable his PayPal account. Borodin started taking donations via BitCoin, and for this Mac app hack he's doing the same: "Help the project by bitcoin 15GCBL7gHbf2p8bapozSrZhNaXdrKUWRFF. Thanks."

Author: dfgdfg,

Categories: Apple, Apps, IOS, iPhone, Piracy, Security

Apple’s in-app purchasing process circumvented by Russian hacker

Russian developer ZonD80 has figured out how to circumvent Apple's iOS In-App Purchase program, allowing iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch users to grab digital game items, upgrade to full versions of apps, and purchase additional content for free. As first spotted by Russian blog i-ekb, the video above shows an "in-app proxy" (no jailbreak required!) that lets you make in-app purchases without actually making a purchase.

The hack reportedly works on all Apple devices running anything from iOS 3.0 to iOS 6.0 (the In-App Purchase program requires iOS 3.0 or later). That being said, certain in-app purchases do not work in specific regions around the world (possibly because the developers properly protected their apps). To use this "trick" yourself, you need to perform the following steps (for the record, I do not recommend doing this, especially given that you have to hand over your login credentials, and I do not condone it either, as it is stealing):

• Install two certificates: CA and in-appstore.com.
• Connect via Wi-Fi network and change the DNS to 62.76.189.117 (update: he's change it to 91.224.160.136).
• Press the Like button, enter your Apple ID and password.

Essentially, this circumvention technique relies on installing certificates for a fake in-app purchase server as well as a custom DNS server. The latter's IP address is then mapped to the former, which in turn allows all "purchases" to go through. What's really worrying, however, is that ZonD80 could easily be gathering everyone's iTunes login credentials (as well as unique device-identifying data) in a classic man-in-the-middle attack. In other words, this is not a good hack to try.

ZonD80 runs a website called In-AppStore.com where everything is hosted for the hack to work, and he is accepting donations to support the development of the project as well as keep the servers up and running, according to 9to5Mac. The webpage does not load for me, but it does for my colleagues. Given the nature of this news, the server may be under additional stress. Either way, if you can't access the site, you can't try this hack because it requires files from the server.

Author: dfgdfg,

Categories: Apple, Apps, IOS, iPhone, Piracy, Security

Facebook Is Launching the iPad App In “Coming Weeks”

A Facebook app for the iPad is about to become a reality. Years after the Facebook iPhone app’s rollout in July, 2008, the company’s finally finished a tablet-optimized version, said to now be in the final stages of testing.

According to The New York Times, unnamed sources who have seen the new app say it has a “slick design that has been tailored for the iPad and its touchscreen interface.”

The sources also mentioned how Facebook Chat and Groups have been overhauled for the iPad, adding that the app will go beyond what the Facebook website can do, allowing users to take photos from the iPad and place them directly on Facebook. Those who’ve seen the app called the photo and video uploading capabilities “amazing, offering full-resolution and full-screen images.”

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg apparently has changed his tune about the iPad. When asked if his company was developing an iPad app, he replied:

Author: dfgdfg,

Categories: Apps, Facebook, iPad, Social Media, Tech News