Apple removed 18 apps with malware from the App Store

Apple is known as the most secure mobile ecosystem when it comes to consumer devices. But it doesn’t mean iPhones or Apple’s App Store is completely malware-free. 18 apps sneaked their way into the App Store somehow.

The apps are taken down by Apple

17 of those apps were discovered by the mobile security company Wandera. Expectedly, all the apps were published by the same developer. All the apps are taken down by Apple immediately. Apps didn’t steal any user data or gain control of a device, instead, they are called adware, which runs ads in the background of the device to earn ad revenues to a third party.

Obviously, any kind of app can be adware, because of their sneaky nature. These types of adware apps are more common in the Android ecosystem because Android devices allow downloading and installing apps from third-party app stores, which can’t be controlled by Google.

Adware causes quicker energy drain

According to Wandera’s officials, apps wait a few days before connecting to the adware server to avoid immediate suspicion. Apps also work only if the iPhone has a SIM card in it. Adware is not a big problem as other malware, but it still can cause the battery to drain much quicker and higher data bills.

AppAspect Technologies, the developer behind the adware, claimed they had no idea about the situation and they became aware of if after Apple removing the apps. It sounds suspicious but it also may be correct too. Developers sometimes can buy codes from third-party or unauthorized sources during the development of the app. In such a case, AppAspect can also be the victim.

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