Hong Kong Google Play Store's Apps Security Risk Report (March 2016)

Hong Kong Computer Emergency Response Team (HKCERT) Coordination Centre cooperates with the National Computer Network Emergency Response Technical Team of China (CNCERT) 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. CNCERT provides us analyzed result, and we collate the detection result and publish security alerts to the public.

In the report of February, we have downloaded 178 apps from Play Store, where 5 apps have been identified as high risk. None of them were removed from Play Store (on or before 30-Mar). 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: 178 apps
• Unable to download via the system: 22 apps
• Downloaded date: 5-March 2016
• List of the downloaded apps: "Appendix 1" [download]

Analysis Overview

In this analysis, 178 apps were scanned for bad behaviors. 5 apps were identified as security high risk. Based on the level of security threat, the following apps listed below are defined as high risk apps, which refers to apps having behavior, which could cause direct harm to systems and users' interests.

1.Scanning Result

List of security high risk apps

Remark (#): The status was checked on 30-Mar. There is no direct relation between the on-shelf status and this report.

2.High risk app analysis

Please refer to "Appendix 2" [download]