Pirated Apps...............Beware!

Ricky Babalu · Mar 12, 2013

Here is yet another good reason to not stray into the world of Pirated Apps. With a simple code injected into the app a developer has managed to turn swiftkey into a keylogger to show the potential risks associated with pirated apps.

Swiftkey turned into Keylogger

funkylogik · Mar 12, 2013

Yup. Im 1st to admit i used them for years.. Applanet, Aptoide etc, until the day i got what i think was a virus and had to really struggle to even factory reset.
Now i just dont use them. Its not worth it and ive gained respect for the dev's :thumbup:

valorian · Mar 12, 2013

Thanks for the post. This should be a sticky in the Application section as it really applies to all Android phones, not just the SGS3.

Jeepmaster · Mar 12, 2013

Also, if you have DriodWall installed, it should stop it from sending those info to the hackers...unless you allow it internet access. Even not pirated apps like certain free games/flashlight/wallpaper apps and such, I've seen some asking for access to your: email contacts, email attachments, GPS location, camera access to take pictures, permission to read/write to your sd card...and they all certainly ask for internet access.

sherlock5545 · Mar 12, 2013

This got me worried. I don't use pirated applications but well, how can you find out an app on the Play Store isn't a malware? I mean, I always read the permissions, but sometimes some of these permissions seem to be legitimate. For example, Go Keyboard, I know it's safe as it's from a great developer group, however, how does that reflect on the permissions? Like, if I developed a keylogger keyboard and published it on the Play Store, would Google find it out? (Don't worry, I'm not trying anything fishy

)

kiz88 · Mar 12, 2013

This is why I use a virus scan apps currently I have AVG and it has caught a few of these malware and other types of non desirable apps hidden into other apps games etc.

funkylogik · Mar 12, 2013

Theres kinda two trains of thought about AV apps mate. I use AVG but it and Zoner didnt save me.
Id like to know if apps like this would detect the Trojan in the link.. probably not.
The Firewall app the guy above suggested seems good. Its first time id heard of a firewall for phones tbh :thumbup:

Kamau · Mar 12, 2013

funkylogik said:
Theres kinda two trains of thought about AV apps mate. I use AVG but it and Zoner didnt save me.
Id like to know if apps like this would detect the Trojan in the link.. probably not.
The Firewall app the guy above suggested seems good. Its first time id heard of a firewall for phones tbh :thumbup:

Avast mobile has a firewall. I've been using it for months now. Nothing I check in it gets Internet access.

Rxpert83 · Mar 12, 2013

sherlock5545 said:
This got me worried. I don't use pirated applications but well, how can you find out an app on the Play Store isn't a malware? I mean, I always read the permissions, but sometimes some of these permissions seem to be legitimate. For example, Go Keyboard, I know it's safe as it's from a great developer group, however, how does that reflect on the permissions? Like, if I developed a keylogger keyboard and published it on the Play Store, would Google find it out? (Don't worry, I'm not trying anything fishy )

Google regularly scans the play store for malicious code

funkylogik said:
Theres kinda two trains of thought about AV apps mate. I use AVG but it and Zoner didnt save me.
Id like to know if apps like this would detect the Trojan in the link.. probably not.
The Firewall app the guy above suggested seems good. Its first time id heard of a firewall for phones tbh :thumbup:

I def belong to the "dont need" camp

You have to set the settings for each app for the firewall to really be of any use. More hassle than its worth for me.

Don't pirate apps...being safe is as easy as that

Mikestony · Mar 12, 2013

valorian said:
Thanks for the post. This should be a sticky in the Application section as it really applies to all Android phones, not just the SGS3.

Agreed, and at least moved into the Application forums

funkylogik · Mar 12, 2013

Kamau said:
Avast mobile has a firewall. I've been using it for months now. Nothing I check in it gets Internet access.

There was a reason i uninstalled Avast.. maybe battery drain.. cant remember man. I never explored it really though. Didnt know it had a firewall tbh :thumbup:
Think im in the in-between camp lol. I dont mind having AVG sitting there as it isnt hammering my battery.
If i still used cracked apps, id probably have every AV installed n have crap battery lol

Kamau · Mar 12, 2013

funkylogik said:
There was a reason i uninstalled Avast.. maybe battery drain.. cant remember man. I never explored it really though. Didnt know it had a firewall tbh :thumbup:
Think im in the in-between camp lol. I dont mind having AVG sitting there as it isnt hammering my battery.
If i still used cracked apps, id probably have every AV installed n have crap battery lol

Haven't really noticed a battery drain. But then, I've had a couple different phones too, and this S3 rooted is really nice on power usage.
As for the app itself, I use it mainly because I can remote wipe, lock, scream and locate, all for free. If anyone ever hacks my phone, I don't use it for no type of financial transactions, and there's no real personal info on it. I mostly go to news and android sites, so hacking that info won't produce much either.
Bottom line, breaking into this phone will gain someone nothing but practice.

Commeilfaut · Mar 12, 2013

Rxpert83 said:
Google regularly scans the play store for malicious code

...and apparently manages to not notice that 10% of all apps in the Play Store is malware, according to very recent news!

http://www.neowin.net/news/trend-micro-claims-1-in-10-android-apps-are-malware

Mordaxx · Mar 12, 2013

Lol, getting creeps.

Installed both AVG and avast after reading thru this thread x)

Rxpert83 · Mar 12, 2013

Commeilfaut said:
...and apparently manages to not notice that 10% of all apps in the Play Store is malware, according to very recent news!

http://www.neowin.net/news/trend-micro-claims-1-in-10-android-apps-are-malware

You're link appears to be broken, but I found it through google.

I'm not surprised the company trying to sell you antivirus protection is shouting from the top of the mountains that you need it. I also have some issues with how they classify malware. Many android apps are free. They use advertisements to get revenue. How do they increase that revenue? Targeted ads. It appears that trend is including apps that use your location or other data in the "malicious apps". Also notice, they didnt publish an app list. They want you to download the app to be protected.

1 in 10 apps =/= 1 in 10 popular apps that people actually use. IF there are that many malware apps, its going to be obscure apps that nobody uses

Common sense (dont download pirated apps) and precautions (such as reading reviews, looking at download counts and checking permissions) about what you're doing is more than enough to keep you malware free.

Edit:
Just thought of 1 more....Trend Micro is also pretty consistently listed near the bottom of most websites rankings of "top AV" companies. I'm going to chalk many of those up to false positives

Adauth · Mar 14, 2013

Rxpert83 said:
You're link appears to be broken, but I found it through google.

I'm not surprised the company trying to sell you antivirus protection is shouting from the top of the mountains that you need it. I also have some issues with how they classify malware. Many android apps are free. They use advertisements to get revenue. How do they increase that revenue? Targeted ads. It appears that trend is including apps that use your location or other data in the "malicious apps". Also notice, they didnt publish an app list. They want you to download the app to be protected.

1 in 10 apps =/= 1 in 10 popular apps that people actually use. IF there are that many malware apps, its going to be obscure apps that nobody uses

Common sense (dont download pirated apps) and precautions (such as reading reviews, looking at download counts and checking permissions) about what you're doing is more than enough to keep you malware free.

Edit:
Just thought of 1 more....Trend Micro is also pretty consistently listed near the bottom of most websites rankings of "top AV" companies. I'm going to chalk many of those up to false positives

This

It's a self servicing article to try and get you to use their product.

Hadron · Mar 14, 2013

Rxpert83 said:
You have to set the settings for each app for the firewall to really be of any use. More hassle than its worth for me.

Avast's firewall has a whitelist mode if your default is to block. Of course that still requires setup when you want an app to have not access, and you to remember it's there...

dan44762000 · Mar 14, 2013

if you steal form developers , because lets face it that is what your doing .
then you deserve to be stolen from .

so if that

Jerryada · Mar 14, 2013

Ricky Babalu said:
Here is yet another good reason to not stray into the world of Pirated Apps. With a simple code injected into the app a developer has managed to turn swiftkey into a keylogger to show the potential risks associated with pirated apps.

Swiftkey turned into Keylogger

Seems now we need more caution in the apps we download.

Hadron · Mar 14, 2013

Jerryada said:
Seems now we need more caution in the apps we download.

Just the usual - check permissions, reviews, and download from reputable sources. Those common sense precautions were recommended from the start.

We don't condone app piracy here in any case, but the link between piracy and malware shouldn't really surprise anyone.

eugenerudenko · Mar 14, 2013

That's why I still download only from Play Store. And sometimes from 4pda

Ricky Babalu · Mar 14, 2013

I am very careful, but I think it is just a matter of time before something big hits the Mobile phone arena.

Rxpert83 · Mar 14, 2013

Ricky Babalu said:
I am very careful, but I think it is just a matter of time before something big hits the Mobile phone arena.

You're probably right, but do you trust antivirus companies to be able to catch it before it happens?

Ricky Babalu · Mar 14, 2013

Rxpert83 said:
You're probably right, but do you trust antivirus companies to be able to catch it before it happens?

I believe there will be some sort of malicious code that hits the mobile industry pretty hard. What that is............. I do not know. I just know that I will have my pencil and paper, tin cans and string ready when it happens. :rolleyes:

eugenerudenko · Mar 15, 2013

Ricky Babalu said:
I just know that I will have my pencil and paper, tin cans and string ready when it happens.

Great plan!

Pirated Apps...............Beware!

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