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Security Researchers Discover 10 App Store Apps Engaging in Ad Fraud

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The argument that this somehow proves the App Store doesn’t provide any kind of protection and sideloading should be permitted is ridiculous. 🤦‍♂️

That’s like saying oh my neighbors house just got broken into and they had locks on the doors so that proves we don’t need locks because they don’t work. No it just proves it’s not 100% effective. Even if it’s only 75% effective that’s still 75%.
 
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justanotherdave said:
That’s a lie. Nobody has ever said that. It’s a made-up point from Apple naysayers so they can scream bloody murder when the inevitable bad App sneaks through.
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Hence the post you quoted which was hyperbole and sarcasm mixed.
justanotherdave said:
What Apple HAS said is that their method is better at stopping such threats. Not that it’s 100% foolproof (no software is).
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Correct.
justanotherdave said:
And with over 7x as many of these Apps on Android it appears they were right.
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Yep.
 
dk001 said:
If that was the case we would not be having this discussion.
It would likely be on the Mac style.
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If there were a billion Macs in use, it probably would be a lot worse than it is.

That being said, with Apple regularly selling tens of millions of Macs a year now, we're starting to see upticks in bad actors targeting macOS as the platform volume is starting to approach a level where it is starting to be worth the effort to do so.
 
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Naraxus said:
Denied? Perhaps not. Not caring about them being there? Absolutely:

www.phonearena.com

7 million iPhone users urged to remove these 84 scammy apps charging them quietly

Apple refuses to do anything about these 84 apps duping iPhone users out of money.
www.phonearena.com www.phonearena.com
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I’m not sure how you qualify that. But sure, a company who makes its money by circumventing internet restrictions has an opinion about something that may or may not be opposing its own views.

Vpncheck said that people are spending more money by staying with the app than if they went with an alternative. That’s all they are saying.
 
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MacRumors said:
The apps apparently imitated CTV-based apps, with IDs changing often to evade detection.
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What are "CTV-based apps"? Google tells me it refers to "connected tv advertising." Does that mean these iOS apps were behaving similar to how sponsored streaming services like Hulu deliver ads?
 
MacRumors said:


Security researchers discovered 10 "adware" apps on the App Store that were engaging in ad fraud, according to a report from Bleeping Computer. The apps were designed to generate revenue by impersonating legitimate apps and presenting a deluge of ads to iPhone users.

iOS-App-Store-General-Feature-Sqaure-Complement.jpg

Discovered by HUMAN's Satori Threat Intelligence team, the mobile apps are part of an ad fraud campaign they're calling "Scylla." It is the third wave of a fraud operation first discovered in August 2019, which Apple has been fighting. The apps have been removed from the App Store at this point, but if you have the following apps installed, you should delete them:
  • Loot the Castle - com.loot.rcastle.fight.battle (id1602634568)
  • Run Bridge - com.run.bridge.race (id1584737005)
  • Shinning Gun - com.shinning.gun.ios (id1588037078)
  • Racing Legend 3D - com.racing.legend.like (id1589579456)
  • Rope Runner - com.rope.runner.family (id1614987707)
  • Wood Sculptor - com.wood.sculptor.cutter (id1603211466)
  • Fire-Wall - com.fire.wall.poptit (id1540542924)
  • Ninja Critical Hit - wger.ninjacriticalhit.ios (id1514055403)
  • Tony Runs - com.TonyRuns.game
The apps committing ad fraud used a bundle ID that did not match their publication name, making it appear to advertisers that impressions came from a more profitable software category. The apps apparently imitated CTV-based apps, with IDs changing often to evade detection.

While 10 apps were found on the iOS App Store, more than 70 were found on Google's Play Store, and adware is a much more severe problem on Android devices. Apple's App Store review process was able to lessen the severity of the problem on iOS devices, but there are still apps that slip through.

Adware is more of an annoyance than a serious issue on the App Store, but it is something that iPhone owners should be aware of. Security researchers suggest that smartphone users should look for rapid battery drainage and increased internet data usage to spot apps that are fraudulently using ads in the future. Avoiding installing apps from suspicious developers is also a good idea.

Article Link: Security Researchers Discover 10 App Store Apps Engaging in Ad Fraud
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Outstanding article and journalism by Bleeping Computer.
 
I7guy said:
We don’t know if there is any behind the scenes legal stuff happening, for example, before we say apple doesn’t give a damn.
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You're right. In thinking more on it, I suppose it's not so much not caring as it is being so large things like nefarious apps will be slipped in regardless. Apple still does have a great place for obtaining apps and l probably would still go there even if (or more likely when) alt app stores are allowed.
 
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Oh the sweet sideloading war again. :rolleyes:

Nowadays, even Linux is trying to create the App Store system (flat packs and whatnot) to mimic the convenience and easy to manage app distribution that App Store has, despite Linux being highly customisable and more secure (than iOS id guess?) If sideloading has SO MANY benefits, why Linux is trying to move away from it? The worry of “opening the floodgate” on iOS is just talking points provided by apple and other influencers to sound reasonable and echo chamber does the rest, while in reality, people are ignoring sideloading more and more as time goes on, except enthusiasts, hobbyists and developers.
 
Spaceboi Scaphandre said:
The App Store is already much worse with the sheer amount of knockoffs and bootleg apps. Articles like this is just more ammo in favor of sideloading and alternative app stores as it disproves Apple's lies more and more.
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Because sideloading would take care of this problem how?

I’m not really against sideloading but don’t pretend that there would not be more scam apps.
 
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Wildkraut said:
Car Accident Researchers: In 2020, 5 million car accidents were reported in the US. 43% of it resulted in injuries and there was 34824 deaths. So we better forbid cars for the sake of life.

And while we are at it, what about guns?
ô_Ô USA!

What a wonderful distorted security bubble, side-loading is evil 😱
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“10” apps out of a few million means 43% to you? :) If there were only 10 safe cars on the roads and ALL the others were exploding randomly, yes, I’d forbid cars for the sake of life LOL!
 
Wildkraut said:
Car Accident Researchers: In 2020, 5 million car accidents were reported in the US. 43% of it resulted in injuries and there was 34824 deaths. So we better forbid cars for the sake of life.
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Cars are being made more safe. Creating more manufacturers with less regulation makes cars worse, not better, that’s why regulations are reducing injuries/death. Self driving cars will be and are safer than current Cars. But the restrictions applied are massive. Regulation works.
Wildkraut said:
And while we are at it, what about guns?
ô_Ô USA!
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More guns make people less safe. Having less stores available makes regulation and safety better.

Wildkraut said:
What a wonderful distorted security bubble, side-loading is evil 😱
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Side loading has inherently less restrictions. It will create more issues. I am against Apple being forced to make the iPhone less safe.
 
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I thought the spyware apps would be something like all the apps from Microsoft and Google. :rolleyes:
 
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CWallace said:
If there were a billion Macs in use, it probably would be a lot worse than it is.

That being said, with Apple regularly selling tens of millions of Macs a year now, we're starting to see upticks in bad actors targeting macOS as the platform volume is starting to approach a level where it is starting to be worth the effort to do so.
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The sad part is too many play the “what if - worst case” type of game.
I could agree with a “walled garden” if the Apple/Google/MS/Other did not apply artificial limits that have nothing to do with security or privacy.
But they don’t. It always comes back to money and control.
 
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JosephAW said:
I thought the spyware apps would be something like all the apps from Microsoft and Google. :rolleyes:
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  • Apple apps spy on everything you do. The level of spying and what happens to that data - Apple isn’t really saying.
  • Google apps spy on everything you do. The level of spying and what happens to that data Google grants some level of control and pretty much tells you what it does with it.
  • MS apps spy on everything you do. The level of spying and what happens to that data - MS is kind of saying but kind of sits between Apple and Google.
  • Then there are all the other companies / devs that have all these nifty little apps that can spy on you. That is a whole other interesting work-around type of world.
All three collect. All three scan apps in their “App Store”. Some are better than others. Some are more restrictive than others. Some allow a broader range of apps in than others. It isn’t a Banana vs Orange vs Pear world.

Even if it comes from an “App Store”, it pays to do a bit of research before you just click “Install”.
 
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That's why when I'm forced to do social media I use Safari to limit as much data from them as possible. o_O
 
dk001 said:
  • Apple apps spy on everything you do. The level of spying and what happens to that data - Apple isn’t really saying.
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I disagree. What type of spying do they do? They say exactly what they do. https://www.apple.com/legal/privacy/en-ww/

They won’t even share your data without you giving permission.

I mean we can all be conspiracy theorists, but even theorists have an actual theory and not an uncorroborated statement.
 
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Ohhh nooo! You mean Apple isn’t perfect?!? Well they’d be lucky to have some of the Apple critics/bashers on MR that know how to run a multi trillion dollar company and manage an App Store as big as theirs, better than they do.

Some of y’all need to apply, STAT!

👊😃👍
 
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macfacts said:
Apple only "let" 10 through because only 10 tried. Apple hasn't said how many they blocked.
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Actually they have. Just a few months ago. There was even an article here on MacRumors and you commented in it. 5 times.

You should change your user name. Maybe remove the “facts” portion.

www.macrumors.com

App Store Stopped 1.6 Million 'Risky' and 'Untrustworthy' Apps From Defrauding Users, Says Apple

The App Store prevented 1.6 million risky and untrustworthy apps from defrauding users in 2021, according to new fraud analysis data shared today by...
www.macrumors.com www.macrumors.com
 
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