A new type of malware that gives hackers access to users' Apple IDs and other important data has breached iOS devices, security firm Palo Alto Networks revealed. The digital threat called KeyRaider has so far been able to get ahold of 225,000 Apple credentials from jailbroken iPhones. The information gathered are then used by the criminals to get paid apps from the App Store for free and more. 

One of the things that this malware does is to remotely deny iPad and iPhone owners access to their own devices, and the pro cybercriminals will then demand payment from the owners in order to give that access back to them, 9to5mac explained. 

In addition, these hackers are also able to download stolen accounts, install apps and make unauthorized purchases with the use of the malicious code. The aforementioned site said that at this very moment, there could be around 20,000 users exploiting these hacked Apple IDs and passwords to their hearts' content. 

Palo Alto Networks says that KeyRaider was first seen lurking in the wild by a Yangzhou University student who happens to be an adherent of WeipTech, a flourishing technical group with Weiphone (an Apple community in China) users as members. The group is the one that confirmed that only Apple accounts are affected and that the malicious code steals passwords, certificates and private keys from these accounts.

Palo Alto Networks provides a guide that users who are worried about being at risk can follow. Posted in the security firm's blog entry is a method that will help determine if their iOS device is infected. But the company also believes that prevention is better than cure and advises that to avoid such mishap, owners must stay away from jailbreaking their iPads and iPhones. While the process can be beneficial at first, it also makes the devices vulnerable to these kind of hacking attacks.