This article originally appeared in Information Security Buzz on February 5, 2019.
29 popular, but fake photo-filter apps have been pulled from the Google App store. The malicious apps with fraudulent 5-star reviews, were pushing ads that led users to fake content and pornography sites according to a report from Trend Micro.
Mike Bittner, Digital Security and Operations Manager at The Media Trust:
“Phishing attacks using apps as vehicles are on the rise because they work—they are increasingly hard to detect and analyze, and consumers often download apps based on reviews and assume the app providers or app stores have conducted tests to ensure the apps are safe. In today’s increasingly perilous threat landscape, everyone from app developers, to sellers, to users, should exercise greater caution. Developers should build security and privacy into their apps so they are not compromised. Sellers should scan all apps on their online storefronts from users’ perspective to find out and root out those that could cause harm. Users should pay closer attention to negative reviews when considering whether the conveniences an app promises is worth the risk that their data could be stolen or abused.”
