Download a seemingly innocent application on Android Market could be dangerous for your personal information. This is revealed as a security firm Lookout at the BlackHat conference specialist.
The figures speak for themselves. According to the company that specializes in mobile security Lookout, which was unveiled at the BlackHat conference in 2010, tens of managers of wallpapers available on Android Market discreetly retrieve personal information on your smartphone.
From Lookout, these applications, all created by the same developer, were downloaded between 1 million and 4 million times by users of the kiosk applications for Android. Colossal ... However, after analysis of those silly programs, which served only to choose a wallpaper in a thematic collection (Star Wars, Naruto, sexy girls and we pass), Lookout showed they were sending personal information to a site operated by a person located in China.
"We discovered a series of wallpapers applications on the Android Market did collect data apparently useless. The applications we have analyzed these sensitive data transmitted to a server via a network connection without encryption, "says the official blog of Lookout.
Malicious apps or simply too curious?
The information collected is limited, but potentially dangerous if they fall into the wrong hands.At least 1 million users of Android has thus provided without knowing their phone number, subscriber identification number and mailbox number to an obscure developer.
Lookout explained that he is worrying to see a simple application of wallpaper and access to personal data, there is nothing to indicate that this information has been exploited maliciously. Google, which has worked with Lookout analysis of these applications, deals with the problem and would, according Tom'sGuide, removed from the market. Is it enough? A quick search on Android Market to discover other applications also suspect, who seek access to information unrelated to their duties ...
This discovery reopens the debate on the open model selected by Google, facing the much more closed, Apple, which checks every program on the App Store before the making available to its customers. Android Market had already been affected by malicious applications bank some months ago.
A little tip for all users of Android Market: Before each application installation, a screen, often too quickly read (see image), tells you what information will access the application you are about to install. If a fund manager screen, do not obviously give him access to your personal data.
No comments:
Post a Comment