The Truth About Smartphone Apps That Secretly Connect to User Tracking and Ad Sites

MIT Technology Review ^ | May 1, 2015 | Not Listed

[Utilizer]

Security researchers have developed an automated system for detecting Android apps that secretly connect to ad sites and user tracking sites.

There are essentially two starkly different environments in which to download apps. The first is Apple’s app store, which carefully vets apps before allowing only those deemed fit to appear. The second is the Google Play store, which is more open because Google exercises a lighter touch in vetting apps, only excluding those that are obviously malicious.

But because Google Play is more open, the apps it offers span a much wider quality range. Many connect to ad-related sites and tracking sites while some connect to much more dubious sites that are associated with malware.

[Utilizer]

Just general info with a simple diagram at the site. Of interest to security-conscious people and references available there as well.

[TChad]

Vigneri and co give as an example “Music Volume Eq,” an app designed to control volume, a task that does not require a connection to any external urls. And yet the app makes many connections. “We find the app Music Volume EQ connects to almost 2,000 distinct URLs,” they say.

I wonder how much the "Music Volume Eq" company gets paid for its privacy violations.