Hong Kong Google Play Store's Apps Security Risk Report (April 2014)
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 April, we have downloaded 150 apps from Play Store, where 8 apps have been identified as high risk. None of them was removed from Play Store (on or before 28-April). 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: 150 apps
- Unable to download via the system: 50 apps
- Downloaded date: 5-April 2014
- List of the downloaded apps: "Appendix 1" [download]
Analysis Overview
In this analysis, 150 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 having malicious purpose explicitly, which could cause direct harm to systems and users' interests. Suspicious behavior refers to apps having behavior, which could cause direct harm to systems and users' interests, but no malicious behavior can be explicitly identified.
1.Scanning Result
Among the 150 scanned apps, 8 apps were identified as security high risk. These 8 Apps were identified with the following high risk behavior signatures Android.Trojan.Generic, Android.Adware.AirPush.A, ApplicUnwnt, Android.Adware.Domob, Android.Adware.LeadBolt, Android.Adware.Waps.l.Gen and Android/AdLoad.B.Gen, etc.
List of security high risk apps
Application | High risk behavior signature / Ad plug-in | Malware detection ratio by VirusTotal | Status # |
1. 千寻影视HD v1.2.2 Category: Top Free Applications | AndroidOS.Domob | 8/50 [Link] | Available on play store |
2. PPS影音(HD版) v1.6.1 Category: Top Free Applications | AndroidOS.Domob | 10/50 [Link] | Available on play store |
3. 蝦米音樂播放器 v3.0.2 Category: New Free Applications | Android.Adware.AirPush | 10/48 [Link] | Available on play store |
4. Talking Larry the Bird Free v3 Category: New Free Applications | Android.Adware.AirPush | 6/49 [Link] | Available on play store |
5. Xray Scanner v5 Category: New Free Applications | Android.Adware.AirPush | 8/49 [Link] | Available on play store |
6. 無損音樂免費聽,無限量下載酷狗精品歌單 v3.0.2.1.1 Category: New Free Applications | Android/AdLoad.B.Gen Android.Trojan.Generic | 11/48 [Link] | Available on play store |
7. Swap The Box v1.0.4 Category: Top Free Games | ApplicUnwnt | 11/51 [Link] | Available on play store |
8. SWAT Strike v1 Category: New Free Games | Android.Adware.AirPush Adware/ANDR.Waps.I.Gen | 16/51 [Link] | Available on play store |
High risk behavior signature and Ad plug-in | High risk behavior |
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.A | 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, and IMEI, etc. |
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.Waps | This is an advertisement Trojan, which can popup an advertisement after it runs, modify the interface of startup page and search page in browser, change the default search setting to a new search engine website. |
Android.Adware.Domob | 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.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.RevMob | It is an Ad plug-in bind with an application, which can steal user's private information, including phone number and call history. It consumes user’s data usage. |
Android/AdLoad.B.Gen | It is a high risk Ad plug-in, which can download and display an advertisement on the notification bar when it is running. It can track the data usage of the phone. |
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