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YiSpecter

YiSpecter is a family of iOS and Android malware, first detected in November 2014, targeting users in mainland China and Taiwan. YiSpecter abuses private APIs in iOS to infect both jailbroken and non-jailbroken devices.[1]

ID: S0311
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Type: MALWARE
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Platforms: Android, iOS
Version: 2.0
Created: 25 October 2017
Last Modified: 16 April 2025
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Mobile Layer
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Techniques Used

Domain ID Name Use
Mobile T1437 .001 Application Layer Protocol: Web Protocols

YiSpecter has connected to the C2 server via HTTP.[1]
Mobile T1577 Compromise Application Executable

YiSpecter has replaced device apps with ones it has downloaded.[1]
Mobile T1407 Download New Code at Runtime

YiSpecter has used private APIs to download and install other pieces of itself, as well as other malicious apps. [1]
Mobile T1456 Drive-By Compromise

YiSpecter is believed to have initially infected devices using internet traffic hijacking to generate abnormal popups.[1]

Mobile T1628 .001 Hide Artifacts: Suppress Application Icon

YiSpecter has hidden the app icon from iOS springboard.[1]
Mobile T1625 Hijack Execution Flow

YiSpecter has hijacked normal application’s launch routines to display ads.[1]
Mobile T1424 Process Discovery

YiSpecter has collected information about running processes.[1]
Mobile T1418 Software Discovery

YiSpecter has collected information about installed applications.[1]
Mobile T1409 Stored Application Data

YiSpecter has modified Safari’s default search engine, bookmarked websites, opened pages, and accessed contacts and authorization tokens of the IM program "QQ" on infected devices.[1]
Mobile T1632 .001 Subvert Trust Controls: Code Signing Policy Modification

YiSpecter has used fake Verisign and Symantec certificates to bypass malware detection systems. YiSpecter has also signed malicious apps with iOS enterprise certificates to work on non-jailbroken iOS devices.[1]
Mobile T1426 System Information Discovery

YiSpecter has collected the device UUID.[1]
Mobile T1422 System Network Configuration Discovery

YiSpecter has collected compromised device MAC addresses.[1]

References

  1. Claud Xiao. (2015, October 4). YiSpecter: First iOS Malware That Attacks Non-jailbroken Apple iOS Devices by Abusing Private APIs. Retrieved March 3, 2023.