In theory, jailbreaking an iPhone means breaking it free from carrier software such as what Apple, AT&T and Verizon offer. This allows iPhone users to customize their gadget in any means they desire without having to worry about limitations imposed by the aforemention carriers.

iPhone users will have total freedom on their device once its jailbroken. They can install third party apps straight from a computer including ringtones and themes, which restricted iPhones have no way of accessing.

Jailbroken iPhones are more fun; however, with great power comes great responsibility. Once an iPhone is freed from its carriers, the carrier warranty naturally becomes voided. This multiplies the device's chances of being infected with malware brought by the installation of unauthorized apps and sofwares.

Needless to say, dozens of malware have been reported that attack jailbroken iPhones with the latest being the "KeyRaider" malware.

According to a US-based security software company, the latest iOS malware that attacks jailbroken iPhones has been linked to the theft of over 225,000 Apple IDs.

"In cooperation with WeipTech, we have identified 92 samples of a new iOS malware family in the wild. We have analyzed the samples to determine the author's ultimate goal and have named this malware 'KeyRaider.' We believe this to be the largest known Apple account theft caused by malware," Palo Alto Networks wrote.

The "KeyRaider" is an app that steals Apple credentials and GUIDs. Hackers would then be able to use the stolen information to impersonate other Apple users and splurge on App store purchases on the affected Apple account.

What's even more dangerous is that the malware can hold the affected iphone for ransom while also having the capability to unlock the iOS device which it is installed.

"It can locally disable any kind of unlocking operations, whether the correct passcode or password has been entered. Also, it can send a notification message demanding a ransom directly using the stolen certificate and private key, without going through Apple's push server. Because of this functionality, some of previously used "rescue" methods are no longer effective," the researchers noted.

To count, the malware tool has affected 18 countries including the U.S., China, France and even as far as Israel and Australia.

The most effective way of protecting your device from the viral malware though is a simple albeit boring one: don't jailbreak your iPhones!

It has been discovered that the "KeyRaider" malware exclusively targets jailbroken iOS devices.

If you think you are one of the 225,000 users affected by the malware, click over to this site to see if your jailbroken iOS device has been compromised.

We'll be keeping you posted on fortcoming software patches from Apple.