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

Release Date: 23 May 2014 2650 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 May, we have downloaded 159 apps from Play Store, where 7 apps have been identified as high risk. 1 of them was removed from Play Store (on or before 22-May). 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: 159 apps
Unable to download via the system: 41 apps
Downloaded date: 5-May 2014
List of the downloaded apps: "Appendix 1" [download]

Analysis Overview

In this analysis, 159 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 159 scanned apps, 7 apps were identified as security high risk. These 7 Apps were identified with the following high risk behavior signatures Android.Adware.AirPush, ApplicUnwnt, Android.Adware.Waps, Android.Adware.Domob, Android.Adware.LeadBolt, Android/AdLoad.B.Gen, etc.

List of security high risk apps

Application	High risk behavior signature / Ad plug-in	Malware detection ratio by VirusTotal	Status #
1. 千寻影视HD v1.2.3 Category: Top Free Application Installs: >250,000 High risk behavior description: 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.Waps AdWare.AndroidOS.Domob	7/52 [Link]	Available on play store
2. Camera360 Ultimate v5.1 Category: Top Free Application Installs: >250,000 High risk behavior description: Enable camera automatically, enable media recorder, call camera application, make phone call, and send out phone information.	Android/AdLoad.B.Gen	4/49 [Link]	Available on play store
3. PPS影音(HD版) v1.6.1 Category: Top Free Application Installs: >250,000 High risk behavior description: Obtain SIM serial number, obtain SIM status, connect to the Internet, call camera application, make phone call, and send out phone information.	AdWare.AndroidOS.Domob Android.Adware.Waps	10/50 [Link]	Available on play store
4. Universal TV Remote v1.2 Category: New Free Application Installs: >250,000 High risk behavior description: Obtain SIM status, obtain device ID, obtain geo-location information, connect to the Internet, and make phone call.	Android.Adware.AirPush Android.Adware.RevMob	10/53 [Link]	Available on play store
5. 食譜 - 香港廚房2 v2.1 Category: New Free Application Installs: 5,000-10,000 High risk behavior description: Obtain SIM serial number, obtain SIM status, obtain device ID, connect to the Internet, make phone call, and send out phone information.	Android.Adware.Domob ApplicUnwnt	9/50 [Link]	Available on play store
6. Don't Tap The White Tile v2.2.3 Category: Top Free Game Installs: >250,000 High risk behavior description: Obtain SIM operator name, obtain SIM serial number, obtain SIM status, connect to the Internet, call camera application, and make phone call.	Android.Adware.LeadBolt ApplicUnwnt	9/52 [Link]	Removed from play store
7. Mike's World 2 v1.0.4 Category: New Free Game Installs: >250,000 High risk behavior description: Obtain SIM serial number, read phone number, enable Bluetooth automatically, enable camera automatically, connect to the Internet, call camera application, make phone call, and send out phone information.	Android.Adware.Waps	4/51 [Link]	Available on play store

Remark (#): The status was checked on 22-May. 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
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.Waps	This is an advertisement Trojan, which can popup an advertisement after it runs, modify the interface of startup page and search page in browser, change the default search setting to a new search engine website.
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.
Android/AdLoad.B.Gen	It is a high risk Ad plug-in, which can download and display an advertisement on the notification bar when it is running. It can track the data usage of the phone.

3.High risk app analysis

Please refer to "Appendix 2" [download]

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