Apple has removed 19 apps that concealed sexually abusive AI deepfake tools behind ordinary features after an investigation uncovered a network designed to evade App Store review.
A November 2 investigation identified more than 400 connected apps and web domains that appeared to offer harmless AI services, including pet portraits, language lessons, and fitness coaching. Some could instead load tools for generating sexually explicit images and videos using photographs of real people. The findings build on earlier research showing that apps capable of creating nonconsensual sexual imagery were reaching the App Store despite Apple's restrictions.
The newly uncovered network went further by using remote servers to control which features appeared to individual users. After installation, apps contacted remote servers that transmitted the user's language, referral source, and a unique identifier. The server then decided whether to show the advertised features or load a separate website with explicit deepfake generators. Someone downloading normally might see nothing suspicious, while someone arriving through a particular advertisement could access the hidden tools. Researchers traced thousands of advertisements promoting sexually abusive deepfakes to apps distributed through the App Store and Google Play.
One example was Viefur, an AI pet portrait generator that appeared to transform animal photographs into humanlike characters. Behind that interface, researchers found access to tools capable of placing people into sexually explicit and violent scenarios. Shared code, encryption keys and trackers pointed to a coordinated operation. In September 2026, researchers identified 27 related apps on Google Play with more than 350,000 downloads, many rated suitable for all ages. Investigators also noted technical connections to Chinese-language developers and a Hong Kong-registered company, Ke Ling Technology Limited, though the evidence does not conclusively establish who controlled the network.
Source: AppleInsider · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing