Google Takes Down Fake Battery App For Android From Play Store

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Google Takes Down Fake Battery App For Android From Play Store

engine

2:50 pm on Jul 7, 2015 (gmt 0)

It just goes to show that you can't be too careful when downloading app, even from Google Play. According to researchers, a fake battery app was all set to send messages to premium rate text services Ouch! Apparently, the app requested full permissions to the users device, so they should have spotted that.

Odd that the app got past Google's own system.

The SMS fraud is carried out by having the malicious app contact a command and control server to retrieve premium-rate SMS numbers. That would let the miscreants in charge of the app respond with new target numbers if someone like a carrier cancelled the scam accounts. Google Takes Down Fake Battery App For Android From Play Store [theregister.co.uk]

aristotle

8:52 pm on Jul 7, 2015 (gmt 0)

Odd that the app got past Google's own system

This isn't the first time that something like this happened. Last year an app got into the Play store that enabled kids to simulate operating a drone and shooting missiles down at people on the ground.

I also read somewhere that Apple is a lot more careful than Google about what they let into their store.

engine

5:12 pm on Jul 8, 2015 (gmt 0)

I can imagine you take your chances if you download something out of the store, but, it will destroy the credibility if it keep letting these apps though.