Hong Kong Google Play Store's Apps Security Risk Report (August 2014)

Release Date: 29 Aug 2014 2662 Views

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 August, we have downloaded 147 apps from Play Store, where 6 apps have been identified as high risk. None of them was removed from Play Store (on or before 28-August). 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: 147 apps
Unable to download via the system: 53 apps
Downloaded date: 5-August 2014
List of the downloaded apps: "Appendix 1" [download]

Analysis Overview

In this analysis, 147 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 147 scanned apps, 6 apps were identified as security high risk. These 6 Apps were identified with the following high risk behavior signatures Android.Adware.AdMogo, Android.Adware.SKplanet, Android.Adware.SmsReg, Android.Adware.Igexin, Android.Trojan.SmsSpy, Android.Trojan.Generic, Android.Trojan.SmsSend, etc.

List of security high risk apps

Application	High risk behavior signature / Ad plug-in	Malware detection ratio by VirusTotal	Status #
1. 姓名測試—九宮姓名臺灣妙樂大師精心製作姓名配對愛情配對 (v1.0.4) Category: New Free App Installs: 1,000-5,000 High risk behavior description: obtain SIM operator name, obtain SIM serial number, obtain SIM status, read phone number, send SMS, connect to the Internet, make phone call, and send out phone information.	Android.Adware.AdMogo	8/51 [Link]	Available on play store
2. PINKFONG儿歌 - 热门儿童儿歌 (v32) Category: New Free App Installs: 5,000-10,000 High risk behavior description: obtain SIM serial number, obtain SIM status, read phone number, connect to the Internet, call camera application, make phone call, and send out phone information.	Android.Adware.SKplanet	3/53 [Link]	Available on play store
3. Anipop (v1.0.2) Category: Top Free Game Installs: 50,000-250,000 High risk behavior description: obtain SIM operator name, obtain SIM serial number, obtain SIM status, enable media recorder, connect to the Internet, call camera application, make phone call, and send out phone information.	Android.Adware.SmsReg	5/49 [Link]	Available on play store
4. 卡卡英雄 (v1.0.8) Category: Top Free Game Installs: >250,000 High risk behavior description: obtain device ID, obtain geo-location information, obtain WiFi configuration, connect to the Internet, make phone call, and send out phone information.	Android.Adware.Igexin Android.Trojan.SmsSpy	5/51 [Link]	Available on play store
5. 博雅鬥地主 (v5.3) Category: Top Free Game Installs: >250,000 High risk behavior description: obtain SIM status, obtain device ID, obtain geo-location information, obtain WiFi configuration, read phone number, enable camera automatically, connect to the Internet, and make phone call.	Android.Adware.Igexin Android.Trojan.SmsSpy	5/48 [Link]	Available on play store
6. 吞食呂布傳Puzzle (v3.0.0.0.3) Category: New Free Game Installs: 1,000-5,000 High risk behavior description: obtain SIM operator name, obtain SIM serial number, read phone number, enable camera automatically, connect to the Internet, call camera application, and make phone call.	Android.Trojan.Generic Android.Trojan.SmsSend	7/46 [Link]	Available on play store

Remark (#): The status was checked on 28-August. There is no direct relation between the on-shelf status and this report.

2.High risk behavior signature and Ad plug-in

High risk behavior signature and Ad plug-in	High risk behavior
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.SKplanet	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.SmsReg	It is a high risk app. When the app is running, it can receive user's SMS and send SMS in the background. It can cause user information disclosure and pay additional charge.
Android.Adware.Igexin	It is a high risk Ad plug-in, which can steal user's private information, including phone number, call history, geo-location, etc.
Android.Trojan.SmsSpy	It is a high risk app. When the app is running, it can receive user's SMS and send SMS in the background. It can cause user information disclosure and pay additional charge.
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, and IMEI, etc.
Android.Trojan.SmsSend	It is a high risk app. When the app is running, it can receive user's SMS and send SMS in the background. It can cause user information disclosure and pay additional charge.

3.High risk app analysis

Please refer to "Appendix 2" [download]

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