Chinese app developer QuVideo Inc conduct surveillance of users, warn security researchers. So, some of them asks for a huge amount of permission to access functions of the phone, and one even contains a virus. This dangerous services that have already been downloaded hundreds of millions times, and users are not even aware of the threat.
The application VivaVideo is one of the most popular video editors for Android — the number of downloads of a service exceeds a hundred million times. However, experts in information security recommend to avoid it — according to the report VPNPro, VivaVideo is getting a huge amount of permissions the owner of the smartphone that allows spying on him.
For example, when you install VivaVideo requests permission to read and write files in the internal system of the electronic device, and monitoring the geolocation of the user — it is obvious that this information is not required for correct operation of the video editor.
Developer VivaVideo is a Chinese company QuVideo Inc., based in Hangzhou. It also owns app SlidePlus, VivaCut and Tempo, which can be found in both Google Play and App Store. All of these services are also seen for requesting an excessive number of permissions.
As found by security researchers, sometimes QuVideo Inc. hide his involvement in some applications. However, the same company behind the service called VidStatus, with special popularity in India. This app is a tool for the creation of “videostatus” for WhatsApp, on account of his more than 50 million downloads.
VidStatus is far from harmless service, it asks user to provide him with the nine permits, which are considered to be “dangerous”. Among them, the access to a geolocation, the user’s contacts, and call history.
Moreover, Microsoft referred VidStatus to malware as it was detected Trojan DOS/AndroRat.
This virus is used to steal money and cryptocurrency user using his smartphone.
The share of all doubtful applications from QuVideo Inc. at least 157 million downloads, if you count the official stores. However, despite all the warnings from information security experts, they continue to be freely distributed among users. If you believe the statistics SensorTower, for July 2020 goal of these services downloaded 2 million times, and pay transaction brought developers about $2 million.
Last month, the company Avast reported that the use of spyware to spy on people in the world increased more than twofold during the period from March to June 2020. We are talking about programs under the General title Stalkerware.
They allow you to track the location of people to access their personal photos, listen to your phone calls and intercept��VAT emails and messages to the messengers.
According to experts, such applications are often set on smartphones jealous spouses, ex-partners and parents who care too much for the safety of children.
“as spyware and infostealer seek to steal personal data, spyware steals the freedom of the victim, both physically and online. Such programs undermine individual rights to freedom,” explained the Director of IT security Avast Jaya Baloo.
