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
(Score: 2) by lentilla on Saturday January 06 2018, @01:05AM
Quite. Linus is the ultimate pragmatist. His goal is; well; let's call it "market penetration", and from that perspective, GPLv2 suits his goals admirably.
Fair call. Linux is; however; a good example of a project where it is impossible to update the licence. Not even Linus himself could do this. This may; or may not; be a "good thing" - only time will tell.