Apple Outlines Steps for Developers to Validate Xcode Following Malware Attack - MacRumorsOpen MenuShow RoundupsShow Forums menuVisit ForumsOpen Sidebar
Skip to Content

Apple Outlines Steps for Developers to Validate Xcode Following Malware Attack

by

Following last week's disclosure of new iOS malware called XcodeGhost, which arose from malicious versions of Xcode hosted on third-party servers, Apple has outlined instructions for developers to ensure the version of Xcode they are using is valid.

XcodeGhost-Featured
When downloading Xcode from the Mac App Store, or Apple's website so long as Gatekeeper is enabled, OS X automatically checks the app's code signature and validates it against Apple's code. If you must obtain Xcode elsewhere, follow these steps:

To verify the identity of your copy of Xcode run the following command in Terminal on a system with Gatekeeper enabled:
spctl --assess --verbose /Applications/Xcode.app

where /Applications/ is the directory where Xcode is installed. This tool performs the same checks that Gatekeeper uses to validate the code signatures of applications. The tool can take up to several minutes to complete the assessment for Xcode.

The tool should return the following result for a version of Xcode downloaded from the Mac App Store:
/Applications/Xcode.app: accepted
source=Mac App Store

and for a version downloaded from the Apple Developer web site, the result should read either
/Applications/Xcode.app: accepted
source=Apple

or

/Applications/Xcode.app: accepted
source=Apple System

Any result other than ‘accepted’ or any source other than ‘Mac App Store’, ‘Apple System’ or ‘Apple’ indicates that the application signature is not valid for Xcode. You should download a clean copy of Xcode and recompile your apps before submitting them for review.

Apple issued a statement in response to XcodeGhost over the weekend, noting that it has removed all infected apps it is aware of from the App Store and is working with developers to ensure they are using a legitimate version of Xcode.

"We’ve removed the apps from the App Store that we know have been created with this counterfeit software. We are working with the developers to make sure they’re using the proper version of Xcode to rebuild their apps."

XcodeGhost affected dozens, and possibly hundreds, of App Store apps. iPhone, iPad and iPod touch users should read what you need to know about XcodeGhost to learn more about the malware and how to keep yourself protected.

Tags: Xcode, XcodeGhost

Popular Stories

Apple Event Logo

Apple Just Released a New Accessory

Monday May 4, 2026 8:13 am PDT by
Apple today released a new Pride Edition Sport Loop for the Apple Watch. The band features a rainbow design with 11 colors of woven nylon yarns. The new Pride Edition Sport Loop is available to order now on Apple.com and in the Apple Store app in 40mm, 42mm, and 46mm sizes, and it will be available at Apple Store locations starting later this week. In the U.S., the band costs $49. There...
Read Full Article
iOS 26

Apple Says iOS 26.5 Adds Three New Features to Your iPhone

Tuesday May 5, 2026 7:36 am PDT by
iOS 26.5 includes three new features for iPhones, according to Apple's release notes for the update, which is expected to be released next week. As discovered during beta testing, iOS 26.5 enables end-to-end encryption for RCS messaging between iOS and Android devices. Apple says this security upgrade is limited to supported carriers around the world and will continue to roll out....
Read Full Article • 27 comments
Instagram Feature 2

PSA: Instagram Encrypted Messaging Ends on Friday, May 8

Tuesday May 5, 2026 8:24 am PDT by
Instagram will remove end-to-end encryption for direct messages between users from May 8, 2026. When the date comes around, Meta will potentially be able to see the contents of all messages between users on the social media platform. Encrypting messages has been an optional feature in Instagram since 2023, but in March of this year the social media platform quietly updated a help page to say ...
Read Full Article • 54 comments

Top Rated Comments

macduke Avatar
macduke
139 months ago
Apple should block any developers who used counterfeit versions from being able to submit to the App Store. This level of stupidity shouldn't be allowed on their platform.
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
nagromme Avatar
nagromme
139 months ago
Band-Aid achieved. But it shouldn't be possible to do this in the first place--it's a security hole and one that could have been expected. Maybe have iTunes Connect only accept submissions from an unmodified Xcode? I'm not sure this is at all simple to implement, but I'm sure it's important to do so

Developers are to blame too--especially multi-person companies should know better. But the platform should still be protected from developers making mistakes--or being attacked in other as-yet-unknown ways that might make it possible to secretly modify their Xcode. After all, it's possible to choose to bypass the Mac's security features (like Gatekeeper), and some people have reasons to do so. Further checks from Apple's remote end are called for, I think.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jasnw Avatar
jasnw
139 months ago
On a tangent, but a strongly related one, what's to keep whomever put the malicious Xcode out on Baidu in the first place from having a house stable of devs building malicious apps using their own Xcode? From what I've read, Apple was unable to catch these apps from being borked in the first place. I've long had a healthy skepticism about accessing any critical (financial, medical, etc) websites from a mobile device, now I'm positively paranoid about it.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
J
Jsameds
139 months ago
"Following last week's disclosure of new iOS malware called XcodeGhost ('https://www.macrumors.com/2015/09/20/xcodeghost-chinese-malware-faq/'), which arose from malicious versions of Xcode hosted on third-party servers, Apple has outlined instructions ('https://developer.apple.com/news/?id=09222015a') for developers to ensure the version of Xcode they are using is valid."


Step 1: Download Xcode from Apple.com


Congratulations, you now have a genuine version of Xcode ;)
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Icy1007 Avatar
Icy1007
139 months ago
Considering I am not an idiot and I downloaded Xcode from Apple's dev portal, I think my copy is clean.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TMRJIJ Avatar
TMRJIJ
139 months ago
When you find that an app on that list ('https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/what-you-need-to-know-about-ios-malware-xcodeghost.1918784/#post-21896151') is in your Home Screen



Attachment Image
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Read All Comments
Related Apple News: Apple Watch Live Activities Fix | Homepod Deals | Airpods Deals | Openai | Apple The First 50 Years Book