Google is working hard on improving Android operating system privacy and security. In the latest version, the company has offered its users a greater degree of control over what resources or areas an application has access to.
However, even if this limitation exists, there are still applications in the Android ecosystem that are very abusive that do not require many of the permissions they require to operate. According to an exhaustive security investigation, they have concluded that an application from a Chinese developer has been classified as Spyware and it is suspected that there are slightly more than 100 million Android devices affected by the said app.
100 million Android phones are affected by this Spyware
The team tasked with conducting the research is VPNpro, which confirmed that the developer behind the app also has at least 100 million installs and their apps are asking for “dangerous permissions.” In particular, VPNpro also claimed that one of its apps also has a malicious remote access Trojan hidden inside, these apps were discovered in Google’s app store.
The Chinese developer behind all of this fabric is Hangzhou-based QuVideo Inc. It is best known for its popular video editing application, VivaVideo. This application is available on the Play Store where it offers its services for free, it already has more than 100 million downloads. On the other hand, the VivaVideo application has been chosen among the 40 Chinese applications that the Indian government has classified as ‘malware’ or ‘spyware’ in 2017.
However, these applications not only available in Android, but also iOS, since the QuVideo applications are also available in the Apple App Store. However, because the permission system and limits are different, abuse of a similar nature is not present on that platform. Therefore, all those who have these applications are advised to check what permissions you are granting to the application.
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QuVideo apps:
- VivaVideo
- VivaVideo PRO Video Editor HD
- SlidePlus – Photo Slideshow Maker
- Tempo – Music Video Editor with Effects
- VivaCut – Pro Video Editor APP
- VidStatus – Status Videos & Status Downloader
| App Name | No. of dangerous permissions | App Permission name |
|---|---|---|
| VidStatus – Status Videos & Status Downloader Google Play installs: 50 million Listed developer: VidStatus Team History of malware: Trojan:Android/AndroRat remote access tool identified by Microsoft | 9 |
|
| VivaVideo: Video Editor & Video Maker Google Play installs: 100 million Listed developer: QuVideo Inc. Best Video Editor & Video Maker App History of malware: Identified as spyware by Indian intelligence agencies | 6 |
|
| Tempo – Music Video Editor with Effects Google Play installs: 500,000 Listed developer: Tempo trend video editor with effects & music. Ltd History of malware: None | 5 |
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