apps

Microsoft is making two key changes to app stores in Windows 11. It's making it easier to update non-Microsoft apps, but withdrawing distribution of Android apps. The Microsoft Store is a Windows feature that works similarly to app stores on mobile ... phones and tablets. It means users can find and install apps from a central source rather than the "traditional" Windows system of downloading software direct from a developers website and running an installation program. The theory behind the Microsoft store is to improve security while making it easier for Windows to keep track of the different ... (view more)

Google may soon warn users before they download a mediocre app. It's the first time the warnings will appear for matters of quality rather than security. The changes were spotted by Android Authority and are buried away in the code of the Play Store ... app. The code would make the app display one of three messages: This app is frequently uninstalled compared to similar apps on Play Play has limited user data about this app This app has few active users compared to others on Play Apps Not Blocked Based on the way the code is integrated, it doesn't appear this will be a high-profile warning such ... (view more)

Google has announced a range of security and privacy boosts for Android 15. It's also rolling out a key feature called Theft Detection Lock to older handsets. The new version of Android is coming to Google's own Pixel handsets almost immediately and ... then will go out to other manufacturers. The release date and which handsets it works on depends on the manufacturer. Theft Detection Lock Explained Unlike some previous new versions of Android which have often seemed more focused on appearance and style, the focus this time is much more practical. The most high-profile change is Theft Detection ... (view more)

Google has suffered a major court defeat over its Play store. It will mean much greater access for third party app stores and apps, though could prompt a continuing argument about security. The ruling came in a case brought by Epic Games, makers of ... the popular game Fortnite. It's had similar battles with Apple and its possible this case will have an effect there too. Epic had argued that Google unfairly exploited a monopoly over access of app developers to the Android system by the way it controlled the official Play store. It said that monopoly existed despite the fact that Android users can ... (view more)

"Modified" versions of popular apps have helped distribute a nasty piece of Android malware. The tactic expanded the reach of the Necro Trojan despite Google's security checks. Necro was able to survive for some time before discovery, largely ... because the infection wasn't obvious to users. Its main purpose was to hijack phones and use them to make money for the people behind the malware. This included displaying paid ads in the background so that users didn't see them, but the scammers were able to claim revenue from advertisers. The malware would also install apps on the phone to earn ... (view more)

A key change to Android could reduce the risk of scammers stealing personal data or money. The update will mean sensitive apps won't open unless potentially risky apps are closed first. The idea is to tackle rogue apps which are designed to either ... capture personal data from another app, or to take control of the phone unbeknownst to the owner. Developer Choice Google's new tactic aims to find a balance between restricting the activities of such rogue apps and keeping the freedom of users to choose what apps they install, including those from sources other than the official Play Store. The ... (view more)

Five rogue Android apps remained in the Google Play store for more than two years. They hosted notorious malware called Mandrake that was hidden through some creative means. According to SecureList, the apps were titled AirFS, Amber, Astro Explorer, ... Brain Matrix and CryptoPulsing. The good news is that the apps had hardly any downloads, one of the reasons they attracted little attention. The real concern is whether malware distributors are using the same tactics with other apps. (Source: securelist.com ) Mandrake has been known about since 2020, though appears to have been in circulation ... (view more)

The makers of a low-tech phone say they want people to use it as little as possible. But they've added a "proper" screen that brings the price up to $399. The third incarnation of the Light Phone continues to raise questions about exactly who the ... intended users are, though the makers say sales have topped 100,000. (Source: techcrunch.com ) Previous versions had virtually no features: the Light Phone 2 made phone calls and accepted text messages, but had no Internet browser or installable apps. Instead it simply performed a few basic built-in tasks such as playing music files, giving driving ... (view more)

Android scammers are using a creatively nasty way to spread malware. They've disguised it as an update for the Google Play store itself. It's a particularly cheeky way to try to get credibility for a malware scam. Not only is Google Play the ... official place to get Android apps in the first place, but the best and simplest Android security tip is to only use apps from Google Play. In this case, the malware doesn't originate as an app but instead as a bogus link. This could be on a web page, in a text message or in an email. The supposed source is Google itself and the link comes with a message ... (view more)

A new form of Android malware can hijack legitimate apps. "Dirty Stream" take advantage of a legitimate function designed to make life easier for users. The function is called ContentProvider and allows one mobile app to access data from, or ... communicate with, another app. It makes it possible to, for example, open a PDF attachment from a messaging app in a dedicated PDF reader app. The people behind the DirtyStream malware found a vulnerability in the way ContentProvider worked. This made it possible not only to force another app to open a compromised file, but to then use the contents to ... (view more)