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Popular iOS SDK Caught Spying on Billions of Users and Committing Ad Fraud:
A popular iOS software development kit (SDK) used by over 1,200 apps—with a total of more than a billion mobile users—is said to contain malicious code with the goal of perpetrating mobile ad-click fraud and capturing sensitive information.
According to a report published by cybersecurity firm Snyk, Mintegral — a mobile programmatic advertising platform owned by Chinese mobile ad tech company Mobvista — includes an SDK component that allows it to collect URLs, device identifiers, IP Address, operating system version, and other user sensitive data from compromised apps to a remote logging server.
The malicious iOS SDK has been named "SourMint" by Snyk researchers.
"The malicious code can spy on user activity by logging URL-based requests made through the app," Snyk's Alyssa Miller said in a Monday analysis. "This activity is logged to a third-party server and could potentially include personally identifiable information (PII) and other sensitive information."
"Furthermore, the SDK fraudulently reports user clicks on ads, stealing potential revenue from competing ad networks and, in some cases, the developer/publisher of the application," Miller added.
Although the names of the compromised apps using the SDK have not been disclosed, the code was uncovered in the iOS version of the Mintegral SDK (6.3.5.0), with the first version of the malicious SDK dating back to July 17, 2019 (5.5.1). The Android version of the SDK, however, doesn't appear to be affected.
(Score: 2) by SomeGuy on Tuesday August 25 2020, @07:16PM (1 child)
Holy crap. Just saying, cell phone salesmen must REALLY love you.
Yea, ok, one for work if they really require one. Some do. Hopefully they require it for a real reason, not just because they think cell phones are somehow cool. In an office environment, I'd want a real desk telephone so other similar professionals can actually HEAR me.
Unless you do piles of banking every day, just drive to the bank and use pencil and paper. (Drive thrus are still open). For electronic, why not just use a regular computer with a VM?
Or perhaps a game console instead of "phone"?
Personal mobile phone, if you are out and about enough to justify that, sure, that is standard. Don't bother with any "smart" phone applications.
Uh. Just don't do that.
The others? I think I had better not ask.
Having zero smart phones is much more secure. And much simpler. And less expensive.
(Score: 2) by barbara hudson on Wednesday August 26 2020, @01:10AM
SoylentNews is social media. Says so right in the slogan. Soylentnews is people, not tech.