Malicious websites hacking iPhones were reportedly targeting UIghur Muslims in China

Last week, researchers at Project Zero basically **uncovered a series of hacked websites** that have been attacking iPhones for years without anyone knowing. However, the latest report claims that these malicious websites were targeting Uighur Muslims in China. According to a report by  TechCrunch, the malicious websites were “part of a state-backed attack — likely China — designed to target the Uighur community in the country’s Xinjiang province.” Reportedly, these websites are a part of the Chinese government’s latest effort to crack down on the minority Muslim community. Google researchers revealed that there are a number of websites that have been at work attacking iPhones users that visited them. These websites had “thousands of visitors” per week for at least two years, Google said. [caption id=“attachment_7225681” align=“alignnone” width=“1024”]  iPhone. Image: Reuters[/caption] Notably, soon after reporting their findings to Apple, the iPhone manufacturer patched the vulnerabilities earlier this year in iOS 12.1.4 update. In May this year, another **report revealed that the Chinese authorities are using a mobile app designed for mass surveillance** to profile, investigate and detain Muslims in Xinjiang by labelling “completely lawful” behaviour as suspicious, a Human Rights Watch report said Thursday. Beijing has come under international criticism over its policies in the northwest region of Xinjiang, where as many as **one million Uighurs and other mostly Muslim minorities are being held in internment camps** , according to a group of experts cited by the UN.