Hong Kong Google Play Store's Apps Security Risk Report (June 2014)
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 June, we have downloaded 131 apps from Play Store, where 7 apps have been identified as high risk. None of them was removed from Play Store (on or before 23-June). 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 27 Apps were returned in this query.)
- Top 50 Free Games in Hong Kong area
- Top 50 New Free Games in Hong Kong area (Top 42 Apps were returned in this query.)
Scanned Apps
- Successful downloaded and scanned: 131 apps
- Unable to download via the system: 38 apps
- Downloaded date: 5-June 2014
- List of the downloaded apps: "Appendix 1" [download]
Analysis Overview
In this analysis, 131 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 131 scanned apps, 7 apps were identified as security high risk. These 7 Apps were identified with the following high risk behavior signatures Android.Trojan.Generic, Android.Adware.AirPush, ApplicUnwnt, Android.Adware.Admogo, Android.Adware.Youmi, Android.Adware.Adwo, and Android.Adware.SmsReg.
List of security high risk apps
Application | High risk behavior signature / Ad plug-in | Malware detection ratio by VirusTotal | Status # |
1. 金庸小說全集 (v1.7.6) | Android.Adware.AdMogo | 9/52 [Link] | Available on play store |
2. 百度手机助手安卓市场应用商店免费安卓应用下载 (v5.4.1) | Android.Trojan.Generic | 3/51 [Link] | Available on play store |
3. 폰테마샵시즌3 (카카오톡/배경화면/런처/벨소리/락커) (v1.3) | Android.Trojan.Generic | 4/54 [Link] | Available on play store |
4. No One Dies (v1.0.7) | Android.Adware.Youmi | 18/52 [Link] | Available on play store |
5. Hardest Game Ever 2 (v15) | Android.Trojan.Generic | 18/54 [Link]
| Available on play store |
6. 大球星 (v1.0.6) | Android.Adware.SmsReg | 8/54 [Link]
| Available on play store |
7. Real Football 2014 Brazil FREE (v1.3) | Android.Adware.AirPush | 8/53 [Link] | Available on play store |
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. |
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.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.Youmi | 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.Adwo | It is a high risk Ad plug-in, which can steal user's private information, including phone number, call history, and consume user's mobile data. |
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. |
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