- May 16, 2013
- 844
Chinese company called Shenzhen HAWK is secretly behind not just the app developer Hi Security, but also 4 other app developers, for a total of 24 apps with 382 million combined installs. Some of these apps are known for containing malware and rogueware.
All of these affected apps, by the way, are still available to download on Google Play. Our research has uncovered that they’re also asking for a huge amount of dangerous permissions, potentially putting users’ private data at risk. These dangerous permissions include the ability to make calls, take pictures and record video, record audio, and much more.
Because Google has so far failed to remove these apps from the Play store, we recommend users take matters into their own hands and question whether they need these apps at all. If they provide no real benefit, we recommend deleting them from your phone as soon as possible.
All of these affected apps, by the way, are still available to download on Google Play. Our research has uncovered that they’re also asking for a huge amount of dangerous permissions, potentially putting users’ private data at risk. These dangerous permissions include the ability to make calls, take pictures and record video, record audio, and much more.
Because Google has so far failed to remove these apps from the Play store, we recommend users take matters into their own hands and question whether they need these apps at all. If they provide no real benefit, we recommend deleting them from your phone as soon as possible.