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Malicious Android Wallpaper App Raided Personal Data

Jul 29, 2010, 9:17 AM by Eric M. Zeman

Mobile security firm Lookout has exposed a wallpaper application available in the Android Market that collects personal information and sends it to a web site in China. The application, developed by Jackeey Wallpaper, snags data from users such as their SIM card number, subscriber information, and voicemail password and sent it to www.imnet.us, which is registered to a person living in China. According to Lookout, the application (which offered branded wallpapers from the likes of My Little Pony and Star Wars), was downloaded between 1.1 million and 4.6 million times. The application was discovered as part of an analysis of how free Android applications access and use personal data. Android device users are reminded to use caution when downloading apps from the Android Market, and to check what systems and information the application wants to access during the installation process. Google has recently added some anti-piracy measures to the Android Market, but it hasn't responded directly to this situation.

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Comments

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This forum is closed.

Daniel Dc5

Jul 29, 2010, 9:29 AM

Im sure....

I guess this is one of the down sides to our open source os. Well you win some you lose some, just dont download anything that looks fishy and you will be good to go. My porn apps dont have anything wrong with them, so I think I will survive.

Jayshmay

Please share! What are you porn apps called?

...

bluecoyote

Why do you need an app for porn? Does the web browser not suffice to the point where on your phone you need an application that operates outside of the html sandbox and has a paper trail?

...

Jayshmay

Jul 29, 2010, 9:40 AM

Warning! The developer changed his name from Jakee to CallmeJack

Just a minute ago I looked up 3D Wallpapers in the market to see if Google has removed it yet, and I found out that the developer changed his name! I know its the same 3D Wallpaper app cause it has the same Egyptian man for the logo.

I can't believe how long its takikng Google to act on this! Not only is this news story on Android Central and Phone Scoop, but its even on one of my local news apps!

misschris

ooh, that Jack fellow sure is sneaky!

I wonder what they were doing with all that info...

...

misschris

Jul 29, 2010, 9:34 AM

I wonder....

Did this app tell you it was going to access personal data? Or am I the only one who reads that ! stuff that pops up before downloading an app?

kevinski

It very well should've. I believe that Android Market discloses what each app has access to based on which API's are accessed by the app. Whenever customers ask me about anti-virus and the like, I generally just tell them to pay attention to what each...
(continues)

CFirebaugh

Jul 29, 2010, 9:50 AM

Anti-Virus

Does the anti-virus application block this activity?

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