ALERT Don't download apps from this developer..

[dzel1992]

Hi Guys,

I am new to this Forum and I would like to alert of a developer named CouXin cop3, I recklessly installed one of the apps which is called 'Live Wallpaper Creator' and apparently this app possibly accessed all of my personal data and stuff which Im really pissed off about.

I am partly to blame as I installed the app without checking the reviews and I just seen that one of them had his wife's photos published on the app itself without any permissions whatsoever. After seeing this it came to me that the app possibly have accessed all of the private things in my phone although I uninstalled this app straightaway.

Could someone who is expert on this kind of stuff advice me on what I should be doing since the developer might have had access on my private data? I have installed an Anti Virus but doubt that it will be of use.

Also it would be important that you guys can help out by complaining to the android store regarding 'CouXin cop3' so that they can investigate on the credibility of the apps this person is creating.

Thanks Guys,

 

[Metroid Prime]

Welcome to AF, dzel1992.

Sounds kinda fishy, have you submitted a report on the app? What are the permissions for the app? If an app has more permission than it needs than it's enough to raise an eyebrow.

 

[MacFett]

What are the permissions for the app? If an app has more permission than it needs than it's enough to raise an eyebrow.

I think it has a few more than it needs.

This application has access to the following:

Network communication
full Internet access
Allows the app to create network sockets.
Your personal information
read contact data
Allows the app to read all of the contact (address) data stored on your tablet. Malicious apps may use this to send your data to other people. Allows the app to read all of the contact (address) data stored on your phone. Malicious apps may use this to send your data to other people.
Phone calls
read phone state and identity
Allows the app to access the phone features of the device. An app with this permission can determine the phone number and serial number of this phone, whether a call is active, the number that call is connected to and the like.
Storage
modify/delete USB storage contents modify/delete SD card contents
Allows the app to write to the USB storage. Allows the app to write to the SD card.
System tools
mount and unmount filesystems
Allows the app to mount and unmount filesystems for removable storage.
prevent tablet from sleeping prevent phone from sleeping
Allows the app to prevent the tablet from going to sleep. Allows the app to prevent the phone from going to sleep.
Your accounts
discover known accounts
Allows the app to get the list of accounts known by the tablet. Allows the app to get the list of accounts known by the phone.
Network communication
view Wi-Fi state
Allows the app to view the information about the state of Wi-Fi.
view network state
Allows the app to view the state of all networks.
System tools
set wallpaper
Allows the app to set the system wallpaper.
automatically start at boot
Allows the app to have itself started as soon as the system has finished booting. This can make it take longer to start the tablet and allow the app to slow down the overall tablet by always running. Allows the app to have itself started as soon as the system has finished booting. This can make it take longer to start the phone and allow the app to slow down the overall phone by always running.

 

[Metroid Prime]

Is this app new? What's the rating on it? This app, to me, has way more than it needs for a live wallpaper creator.

 

[deafandorid]

How do we know what the permission is asked for and what it means? Is there a website which explain this in depth? This is one of my biggest concern when it comes to owning an android phone :-(

 

[MacFett]

The dev has a lot of apps all with IMO far too many permissions.

 

[Metroid Prime]

How do we know what the permission is asked for and what it means? Is there a website which explain this in depth? This is one of my biggest concern when it comes to owning an android phone :-(

Here's a link that should explain all that.
Android permissions explained, security tips, and avoiding malware

 

[MacFett]

How do we know what the permission is asked for and what it means? Is there a website which explain this in depth? This is one of my biggest concern when it comes to owning an android phone

When you go to view an app there are 4 tabs, one of them is Permissions. That will tell you all of the permissions an app requests before installing it.

There is an app called PocketPermissions that explains all of the android permissions pretty well.

 

[deafandorid]

When you go to view an app there are 4 tabs, one of them is Permissions. That will tell you all of the permissions an app requests before installing it.

There is an app called PocketPermissions that explains all of the android permissions pretty well.

If the price is in dollar would it be possible to purchase an app for UK handheld?

 

[MacFett]

If the price is in dollar would it be possible to purchase an app for UK handheld?

Yes, it is probably just showing 99 cents because it is my search link. Try searching for the app on your own and I'm sure you'll find it in GPB.

 

[kadimi]

You shouldn't have installed apps that have barely 1 to 10 installed on Google Play !!!
Anytime you are installing an untrusted app you are putting your phone at risk

Further reading: Microsoft warns users about fake Skype app

Microsoft (and all the team at Android Authority) recommend the following measures:

• Download your apps from only legitimate and trusted sources like Google Play and Amazon’s Appstore.
• Install a security app on your Android device (see my recent roundup of the best antivirus apps)
• If you do need to download an .apk file from a website (rather than one of the trusted stores) then scan the app with your PC’s antivirus before loading it onto your device. You can even use Microsoft Security Essentials (which if free) to do this.

 

[dzel1992]

Thats the problem because I only just realized that after I installed it!! I have performed a factory reset on my device and I am trying to encrypt my device now. Is there anything else I should do or, does the app still have access on my phone as I installed it previously?

 

[El Presidente]

Thats the problem because I only just realized that after I installed it!! I have performed a factory reset on my device and I am trying to encrypt my device now. Is there anything else I should do or, does the app still have access on my phone as I installed it previously?

Unless it's written anything to the system partition (which it can't unless you're rooted), uninstalling should have been sufficient.

No harm in a factory reset though, just to be on the safe side.

 

[dzel1992]

Thanks El Presidente you eased my worries, still quite worried as it might have had access on my personal stuff pics & msgs when it was installed for that very short time.
Learned a big lesson though Im more aware of apps that I download on my phone.