Ransomware scammers have been exploiting a flaw in Apple 's Mobile Safari browser in a campaign to extort fees Attack.Ransom from uninformed users . The scammers particularly target those who viewed porn or other controversial content . Apple patched Vulnerability-related.PatchVulnerability the vulnerability on Monday with the release Vulnerability-related.PatchVulnerability of iOS version 10.3 . The flaw involved the way that Safari displayed JavaScript pop-up windows . In fact , recovering from the pop-up loop was as easy as going into the device settings and clearing the browser cache . This simple fix was possibly lost on some uninformed targets who were too uncomfortable to ask for outside help . `` The attackers effectively used fear as a factor to get what they wanted before the victim realized that there was little actual risk , '' Lookout researchers Andrew Blaich and Jeremy Richards wrote in Monday 's post . The user provided the screenshot shown above , which attempts to instill fear with the claim the device was being locked `` for illegal pornography . '' Below those words was a pop-up Window that said `` Can not Open Page . '' Each time the person clicked on the accompanying OK button , a new window would open again . The JavaScript used in the attack shows signs of being used to exploit the same Safari flaw present in Vulnerability-related.DiscoverVulnerability iOS version 8 , which was released in 2014 . The attackers , the Lookout researchers said , purchased a large number of domains in an attempt to `` catch users that are seeking controversial content on the internet and coerce them into paying a ransom Attack.Ransom to them . '' Sites tailored the messages they delivered based on country identifiers . The campaign in many respects resembles one that hit Attack.Ransom Android users in 2014 . That one demanded Attack.Ransom a $ 300 ransom paid Attack.Ransom in the form of mechanisms such as Paysafecard or uKash