There are numerous users reporting that SSH connections to their iPhone has been broken, getting errors such as “Software caused connection abort”, “Server unexpectedly closed network connection” or ‘Connection refused”.

Removing the /etc/ssh folder and reinstalling OpenSSH and OpenSSL via Cydia or RockApp did not fix the issue (in the best case, SSH worked again for 30 seconds and then failed again).

It appears that the reason is a virus affecting iPhone/iPod Touch that have been jailbroken, but have not changed the default root password (‘alpine’).

To resolve the problem:

Connect to your jailbroken phone via USB, using iPhone Explorer or DiskAid (both of them are freeware, Google them)

Remove these files that have been installed by the virus:

/bin/poc-bbot
/bin/sshpass
/var/log/youcanbeclosertogod.jpg
/var/mobile/LockBackground.jpg
/System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.ikey.bbot.plist
/var/lock/bbot.lock

(if you don’t find the two .jpg files, it is normal, just proceed with the rest of the files)

Reboot, reinstall OpenSSH

Immediately change default root password by connecting to your phone via SSH as root user (the default password is ‘alpine’ without quotation marks) and then giving the following command:

passwd

You will be asked for a new root password. Be careful, never forget this!!