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

Release Date: 28 Jan 2014 2622 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 January, we have downloaded 167 apps from Play Store, where 6 apps have been identified as high risk. 1 of them was removed from Play Store (on or before 28-January). 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: 167 apps
Unable to download via the system: 33 apps
Downloaded date: 6-January 2014
List of the downloaded apps: "Appendix 1" [download]

Analysis Overview

In this analysis, 167 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 167 scanned apps, 6 apps were identified as security high risk. These 6 Apps were identified with the following high risk behavior signatures Android.Trojan.Generic, Android.Adware.AirPush, Android.AdWare.KyView, ApplicUnwnt, Android.Adware.Dowgin, Android.Adware.Domob, and Android.Adware.LeadBolt.

List of security high risk apps

Application	High risk behavior signature / Ad plug-in	Malware detection ratio by VirusTotal	Status #
1. New Year Frames 2014 v 1 Category: New Free Applications Installs: 50,000-250,000 High risk behavior description: It can obtain SIM operator name, obtain SIM status, connect to the Internet, call camera application, make phone call, and send out phone information.	Android.Adware.AirPush Android.Trojan.Generic	10/48 [link]	Available on play store
2. Draw Shapes by BabyBus v4.22 Category: New Free Applications Installs: 50,000-250,000 High risk behavior description: It can obtain SIM operator name, 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.KyView Android.Trojan.Generic	7/47 [link]	Available on play store
3. Fruits Link Deluxe v1.0.0 Category: Top Free Application Installs: 5,000-10,000 High risk behavior description: It can obtain SIM operator name, obtain SIM status, read phone number, connect to the Internet, call camera application, make phone call, and send out phone information.	Android.Trojan.Generic Android.Adware.AirPush ApplicUnwnt	9/43 [link]	Removed from play store
4. Mike's World v1.0.8 Category: Top Free Application Installs: >250,000 High risk behavior description: It can obtain SIM status, read phone number, enable Bluetooth automatically, enable camera automatically, enable media recorder, connect to the Internet, call camera application, make phone call, and send out phone information.	Android.Trojan.Generic Android.Adware.LeadBolt	4/47 [link]	Available on play store
5. 博雅鬥地主 v4.6 Category: New Free Application Installs: >250,000 High risk behavior description: It can obtain SIM status, read phone number, enable camera automatically, connect to the Internet, and send out phone information.	Android.Trojan.Generic Android.Adware.Dowgin	5/45 [link]	Available on play store
6. My Talking Tom v1.2.1 Category: New Free Application Installs: >250,000 High risk behavior description: It can obtain SIM serial number, obtain SIM status, enable camera automatically, enable media recorder, connect to the Internet, call camera application, make phone call, and send out phone information.	Android.Trojan.Generic Android.Adware.Domob	8/43 [link]	Available on play store

Remark (#): The status was checked on 28-Janary. 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.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	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.AdWare.KyView	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.Dowgin	It is an Ad plug-in bundled with App, which can steal user's private information, such as phone number and email address.
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.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.

3. High risk app analysis

Please refer to "Appendix 2" [download]

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