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posted by
martyb
on Friday January 05 2018, @03:50PM
from the the-play's-the-thing-where-I'll-capture... dept.
from the the-play's-the-thing-where-I'll-capture... dept.
TrendMicro has discovered 36 apps in Google Play that execute unwanted behavior:
These apps posed as useful security tools under the names Security Defender, Security Keeper, Smart Security, Advanced Boost, and more. They also advertised a variety of capabilities: scanning, cleaning junk, saving battery, cooling the CPU, locking apps, as well as message security, WiFi security, and so on.
The apps were actually able to perform these simple tasks, but they also secretly harvested user data, tracked user location, and aggressively pushed advertisements.
The apps in question have been removed from Google Play.
Related: Google Pauses Crackdown on Apps That Use Accessibility Features
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Apps on Google Play Disguised as Security Tools Instead Serve Ads and Track Users' Location
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TOO BAD YOU CAN'T BUY a voodoo globe so that you could make the earth spin
real fast and freak everybody out.
-- Jack Handey, The New Mexican, 1988.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday January 05 2018, @06:15PM
Surely there are other alternatives than 1.) adware malware spyware proprietary user-subjugating crashy shit and 2.) stone knives and bear skins!