A few Android customers found out that sometimes an open platform isn’t the best thing when Google had to remove 21 of its apps due to finding out they were contaminated with malware. They announced that the apps had already been downloaded about 200,000 times.
The apps take down were found to be contaminated with malware that caused those that caused several different types of malevolent actions, such as root exploits, stealing user’s info on their phones, and causing a Trojan horse type virus to download even more malware and malevolent codes. Google got rid of the apps as soon as they were notified and then remotely removed them from user’s devices.
Even though the apps were removed, any other codes they caused to be on a person’s system will still exist and require users to fix. A patch to do this is in the works, according to Google.
A full list of the offending apps hasn’t come out, but the developer was called, myournet and some of the apps included ‘Falling Down,’ ‘Super Guitar Solo,’ ‘Super History Eraser,’ ‘Photo Editor,’ and ‘Super Ringtone Maker.’ The developer caused the problem by copying popular apps and putting in the malicious codes and malware and then republished them to the Android Market. They were estimated to be there for about four days.
This problem shows that there can be issues with an open strategy. While Apple takes a close look at every app put up in the App Store, Google lets developers put up their apps on the Android Market after they register without testing them first. Only after the apps have been live does Google occasionally look through them to see if they meet their guidelines.
