Tag Archive for: Apps

Singapore Android users to be blocked from installing certain unverified apps as part of anti-scam trial

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In a previous update of Google Play Protect, users were recommended to conduct a real-time app scan to better detect whether an Android app may be infected with malware. When the scan was completed, users were notified about whether it could be safely installed. 

Eugene Liderman, director of Android security strategy at Google, told CNA the real-time scanning enhancement to Google Play Protect was fully rolled out in Singapore in November 2023.

Since the launch of real-time scanning last October, Google said it has helped identify over 515,000 potentially harmful apps, and blocked or warned users almost 3.1 million times when they attempted to install such apps. 

Scam victims are often directed to download an Android package kit (APK) file through sources such as websites, messaging apps or file managers. 

“Members of the public are advised not to download any suspicious APK files on their devices as they may contain malware which will allow scammers to access and take control of the device remotely as well as to steal passwords stored in the device,” the police said in an advisory last July. 

Sideloaded apps typically ask for permission to read and receive SMSes and notifications, and grant accessibility to devices.

These permissions enable scammers to intercept one-time passwords via SMS or from notifications and spy on screen content, said Google.

The tech giant’s newest security feature is designed to look out for such permissions, which are “frequently abused by fraudsters”, and block the app’s installation.

“Based on our analysis of major fraud malware families that exploit these sensitive runtime permissions, we found that over 95 per cent of installations came from internet-sideloading sources,” it added. 

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Messaging, News Apps Stuffed With Data Stealing Malware Listed On Google Play Store; Check List Here

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VajraSpy Malware: Instances of malicious apps appearing on Google Play Store have been on the rise in recent times. Continuing this series, ESET researchers identified 12 Android apps with malicious code, six of which were listed on the Play Store. Most of these apps were messaging apps with one being from the news category. The apps execute VajraSpy, a remote access trojan (RAT) code of the Patchwork APT group on the affected device.

Depending on the permissions granted to these apps, they can steal call logs, contacts, messages and files from an affected device. Plus, it can extract messages from WhatsApp and Signal, record calls, click photos using the camera, intercept notifications and search files on the compromised handset. Among the most affected regions with this campaign were Pakistan and India. According to ESET Research, the apps on Play Store absorbed over 1,400 installs.

Also Read: Clean Malware From Android And Windows Devices With These Govt-Approved Free Tools

The cybersecurity firm managed to geolocate 148 devices compromised with the VajraSpy due to its weak security protocol. The blog of WeLiveSecurity stated that these bad actors used a “honey-trap romance scam” to lure victims to install the malware. Here is the list of apps that were available on the Play Store:

– Privee Talk

– MeetMe

– Let’s Chat

– Quick Chat

– Rafaqat (News)

– Chit Chat

The above-stated apps have now been removed from Google Play Store. (Image:Unsplash)

While the apps have been removed from the Play Store, here are the other apps that were available in the wild

– YohooTalk

– TikTalk

– Hello Chat

– Nidus

– GlowChat

– Wave Chat

Also Read: Operation Triangulation To Xamalicious To Chameleon Trojan, Latest Threats Targeting iOS, Android Users; How To Be Safe

ESET researcher Lukas Stefanko noted that the impact of VajraSpy due to third-party app markets remains unknown due to the lack of download figures. As a precautionary measure, users must not download chat apps from links received from unknown people and monitor the permissions of apps on their devices.

Google shared a statement to BleepingComputer: “We take security and privacy claims against apps seriously, and if we…

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Apple Rushes To Fix A Vision Pro Zero Day Exploit, Announces 600 Apps For Today’s Launch

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The inclusion of 600 apps for Vision Pro is no surprise, as Apple has been building a massive ecosystem of apps and content for several years across its devices. On the entertainment front, apps such as Apple TV will provide unique and immersive content to users that won’t be replicated on standard devices. Having a large virtual screen in front of users is certainly appealing if executed well, along with surround sound and curated content. 

With gaming, there is a plethora of opportunity here for Apple to expand on the popularity of Apple Arcade, and gain some high-end marketshare on that front from other popular headsets. 

Productivity is a major area where Apple plans to focus its efforts, with the idea that spatial computing can replace the traditional desktop for some users. Apps such as Zoom, popular with work-from-home, can be a starting point for those dipping their feet into this immersive world that Apple is aiming for. 

If users will ultimately buy into the idea of Vision Pro as a replacement or supplemental device for work and play remains to be seen. While there is no killer app available yet, the Apple ecosystem is robust and the technology is sufficiently capable to provide an experience not available elsewhere yet. 

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While new apps are always needed to prove a products seaworthiness upon its maiden voyage, security is just as important. Apple has quickly released a security update addressing “maliciously crafted web content which may lead to arbitrary code execution.” This update is part of visionOS 1.0.1 for developers, and visionOS1.0.2 for those with visionOS1.0. 

While Vision Pro won’t have the same number of users as Apple’s iPhone, there will be a sufficient user base that makes security updates like this vital. Apple products have a reputation for being less likely to have issues such as malware, so keeping that reputation on a halo product such as Vision Pro is certainly in Apple’s best interest. 

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A Malware Found on Android Apps Can Steal and Monitor All User Activities

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A malware named VajraSpy has been found in more than 12 mobile applications. It is known as Remote Access Trojan (RAT) and about 6 applications from Google Play have been affected by it. Google has immediately removed those apps from Play Store but they are still available as third party apps on the internet, as reported by WeLiveSecurity and ESET. Most of these applications are related to messaging and news. When these apps affected by RAT are installed, your device immediately gets malware and the apps can easily steal your personal information, private data and can even record your phone calls. It can also automatically turn on your front camera and monitor you. It can automatically obtain all the permissions on your mobile phone and can then do surveillance and monitoring of the user, from their notifications to messages and images.

Researchers from ESET were the first ones to report this virus and the PatchWork APT group is behind this and they have been targeting people in Pakistan since 2015. In 2022, this group accidentally unveiled their own malware campaign and they were using Ragnatela RAT for spreading the virus. ESET researchers also found the applications that had the same VajraSpy Code. These applications included Rafaqat, which is a news app. The other applications were related to messaging namely, Privee Talk, MeetMe, Let’s Chat, Quick Chat and ChitChat. The apps that are affected by VajraSpy but are available outside of Google Play are Hello Chat, Yahoo Talk, TikTalk, Nidus, GlowChat and Wave Chat. All of these apps are messaging apps.

As third-party websites do not mention the number of people who have downloaded apps from them, we cannot say anything about how many people have been affected by that virus. ESET has said that most of the victims are from India and Pakistan and they have been tricked into installing these applications. Google Play is introducing a new policy that will make it hard for apps with malware to be on the platform. Till then, people shouldn’t download apps recommended by people they don’t know.

VajraSpy malware infiltrates 12+ mobile apps, including Google Play, posing severe privacy threats.

Photo: Digital Information World – AIgen

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