Apple pulled 19 apps hiding deepfake tools behind pet portraits

A November 2 WIRED investigation identified more than 400 connected apps and web domains that looked like harmless AI services — pet portraits, language lessons, fitness coaching — but could load tools for making sexually explicit images and videos from photos of real people.

The trick was server-side: after installation, the apps phoned home with the user's language, referral source and an ID, and the server decided whether to show the advertised features or a hidden deepfake site. One trigger was arriving via a Facebook or Instagram ad; researchers traced thousands of such ads to apps on Apple's App Store and Google Play.

Apple removed 19 apps, including the pet-portrait app Viefur, after reporters shared the findings, saying the apps passed review and were later switched to pornography by their developers. Shared code, hosting and trackers point to a coordinated operation, with links to a Hong Kong-registered company — though investigators say the evidence does not conclusively name who ran it.