Hong Kong Google Play Store's Apps Security Risk Report (October 2013)

Release Date: 25 Oct 2013 2777 Views

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Hong Kong Computer Emergency Response Team (HKCERT) Coordination Centre cooperates with the National Institute of Network and Information Security (NINIS) for detecting malicious and suspicious behaviors of Apps from the Google Play Store, in order to study the security risk of apps in the Google Play Store in Hong Kong area. NINIS provides us analyzed result, and we collate the detection result and publish security alerts to the public.

In the report of October, we have downloaded 180 apps from Play Store, where 11 apps have been identified as high risk. 8 of them were removed from Play Store (on or before 25-October). The detail of report is shown as follow.

Target scope:

Top 50 Free Applications in Hong Kong area
Top 50 New Free Applications in Hong Kong area
Top 50 Free Games in Hong Kong area
Top 50 New Free Games in Hong Kong area

Scanned Apps

Successful downloaded and scanned: 180 apps
Unable to download via the system: 20 apps
Downloaded date: 7-October 2013
List of the downloaded apps: "Appendix 1" [download]

Analysis Overview

In this analysis, 180 apps were scanned for bad behaviors. Based on the level of security threat, the apps were divided into 2 categories: apps with malicious and apps with suspicious behaviors. Malicious behavior refers to apps behavior pose malicious level of security risk, which can be identified explicitly, that causes security threat to users. Suspicious behavior refers to apps behavior pose certain level of security risk, but no malicious behavior can be explicitly identified.

1. Scanning Result

Among the 180 scanned apps, 11 apps were identified as security high risk. These 11 Apps were identified with the following high risk behavior signatures, Android.Adware.Adwo, Android.Adware.Plankton, Android.Trojan.Generic, Android.Adware.Apperhand, Android.Adware.AirPush, ApplicUnwnt, Android.Adware.Kuguo, Android.Adware.Wapsx, Android.Adware.InMobiAds, Android.AdWare.AdMogo, Android.AdWare.Leadbolt, and Android.AdWare.MobWin.

List of security high risk apps

Application	High risk behavior signature / Ad plug-in	Malware detection ratio by VirusTotal	Status #
1. 我是谁-背影猜猜猜(横扫疯狂猜歌，疯狂猜图，疯狂猜成语) v1.0.2 Category: Top Free Game Installs: 50,000-250,000 High risk behavior description: It can obtain the name of SIM service provider, obtain SIM status, read phone number, make phone call, and send out phone information.	Android.Adware.Adwo Android.Trojan.Generic	10/47 [link]	Available on play store
2. 3國小豬香港王v1 Category: Top Free Game Installs: 10,000-50,000 High risk behavior description: It can obtain SIM serial number, make phone call, enable camera automatically, send out phone information, and connect to the Internet.	Android.Trojan.Generic Android.AdWare.MobWin	12/47 [link]	Available on play store
3. 成人快播v5 Category: New Free Application Installs: 50,000-250,000 High risk behavior description: It can connect to the Internet, use Intent to modify user data,make phone call, enable camera, and use Intent to send out phone information.	Android.Adware.Wapsx ApplicUnwnt	16/48 [link]	Removed from play store
4. 手机铃声 - 好铃声 , 好心情v1.6 Category: New Free Application Installs: 50,000-250,000 High risk behavior description: It can obtain SIM status, make phone call, send out phone information, and connect to the Internet.	Android.Adware.InMobiAds Android.AdWare.AdWo	9/46 [link]	Removed from play store
5. 午夜好消遣：高清，激情，美女，資源，成人，快播，影院v2.6.2 Category: New Free Application Installs: 10,000-50,000 High risk behavior description: It can obtain SIM serial number, read phone number, make phone call, send out phone information, and connect to the Internet.	Android.Adware.Plankton Android.Adware.Apperhand Adware.Android.AirPush ApplicUnwnt	19/47 [link]	Removed from play store
6. 2014生肖運程祈福消災靈符轉運v2.0.1 Category: New Free Application Installs: 5,000-10,000 High risk behavior description: It can obtain SIM serial number, read phone number, send out phone information, and connect to the Internet.	Android.AdWare.AdWo Android.Trojan.Generic	10/44 [link]	Available on play store
7. 空空高清--最新快播资源成人视频激情高清名字要长v1 Category: New Free Application Installs: 10,000-50,000 High risk behavior description: It can obtain SIM status, make phone call, and connect to the Internet.	Android.Adware.AirPush Android.Adware.Plankton Android.Adware.Apperhand Android.Trojan.Generic	19/48 [link]	Removed from play store
8. Free music mp3 downloader Pro v4.2 Category: New Free Application Installs: 10,000-50,000 High risk behavior description: It can obtain SIM status, read audio record, make phone call, send out phone information, and connect to the Internet.	Android.AdWare.Leadbolt Android.Trojan.Generic	11/47 [link]	Removed from play store
9. 激情成人电影v1.4.1 Category: New Free Application Installs: 5,000-10,000 High risk behavior description: It can obtain SIM status, read phone number, send out phone information, and connect to the Internet.	Android.Adware.Kuguo Android.Trojan.Generic	16/47 [link]	Removed from play store
10. 激情成人视频v1 Category: New Free Application Installs: 5,000-10,000 High risk behavior description: It can obtain SIM status, read phone number, send out phone information, and connect to the Internet.	Android.AdWare.AdMogo Android.AdWare.AdWo Android.Trojan.Generic	11/47 [link]	Removed from play store
11. 无码高清激情视频（快播）v5 Category: New Free Application Installs: 10,000-50,000 High risk behavior description: It can obtain SIM status, make phone call, and connect to the Internet.	Android.Adware.Plankton Android.Adware.AirPush Android.AdWare.Apperhand	16/47 [link]	Removed from play store

Remark (#): The status was checked on 25-October

2. High risk behavior signature and Ad plug-in

High risk behavior signature and Ad plug-in	High risk behavior
Android.Adware.Plankton	It is an Ad plug-in bundled with App, which can steal user's private information, such as phone number and email address, and send to the 3rd parties. This behavior is called "aggressive advertisement", which forces displaying ads on the main screen.
Android.Adware.Adwo	It is an Ad plug-in bundled with App, which can steal user's private information, such as phone number and email address.
Android.Adware.AirPush	This is an advertisement framework. It can aggressively push ad to device's notification bar. It can modify browser's bookmark, and remove icon on the main screen. The ads will ask for money. Some ads showed in the notification bar will lure user to subscribe and pay for SMS service. Three common luring ads are 1) fake shop, 2) fake free call service, 3) system notification impersonation
Android.Trojan.Generic	This is a malicious backdoor Trojan, which runs in the background. It allows remote access to the infected system. It will collect and steal sensitive information, such as Internet activities, account/password setting, geo-location, operator name, system version, device model, IMEI, etc.
Android.AdWare.Apperhand	This high risk app can execute specified command and steal information. It can obtain user's private information. This app contains specified vulnerabilities, which can be exploited to compromise the system.
Android.AdWare.Leadbolt	It is a high risk Ad plug-in, which can steal user's private information, including phone number, call history, geo-location, etc.
Android.Adware.Wapsx	It is a high risk Adware. When the phone downloads and runs the app, it will download another data packet automatically and pop-up advertisement. The other versions of this Adware are also found as spyware and Information stealer apps.
ApplicUnwnt	This high risk app is a Trojan, liked Android.Trojan.Generic. It can collect and steal user's private information at the background.
Android.Adware.InMobiAds	It is a high risk Ad plug-in, which can steal user's private information, including phone number, call history, geo-location, etc.
Android.AdWare.AdMogo	It is a high risk Ad plug-in, which can steal user's private information, including phone number, call history, geo-location, etc.
Android.Adware.Kuguo	It is an Ad plug-in bundled with App, which can steal user's private information, such as phone number and email address.
Android.AdWare.MobWin	It is an Ad plug-in bundled with App, which can steal user's private information, such as phone number and email address.

3. High risk app analysis

Please refer to "Appendix 2" [download]

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