Still Think Downloading From Play Store Is Safe...

[Kamau]

Or the best way to avoid malicious software?

Fake Temple Run: Oz and Subway Surfers games appear on Google Play

It may not be a big problem now, but tell e who create thus prevention re getting good at it. And to honest with you, I cannot any longer say it's just the a/v makers creating a market for their self.
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

 

[dontpanicbobby]

Yup, as long as I have Lookout on the job I'm not worried.

 

[unnamedny]

So security apps are needed, unless you love to slowdown your phone and burn your battery. Have to be careful downloading random things off the market. Good call thumbs up for you OP.

 

[jefboyardee]

I go app-hunting on my PC with AppBrain, then use their option to download from the Play Store. AppBrain does a good job of organizing apps and revealing permissions. I’ve installed over a hundred apps that way, have no AV and no problems... at least about that.

 

[LilBit]

I go app-hunting on my PC with AppBrain, then use their option to download from the Play Store. AppBrain does a good job of organizing apps and revealing permissions. I

 

[9to5cynic]

I'd say using play is *much* safer than many of the alternatives. I for one usually always check out the developer and look for some of their other apps.

Looks like these guys not only stole some legit applications, but installed malware on them. This happens a lot with .apk sites, I read about someone putting a keylogger in a pirated SwiftKey last week. And as a keyboard, it has pretty much permissions for everything... Bad news for those users.

But this just reinforces the idea of only installing *trusted* software.

 

[SiempreTuna]

I guess reduced security is the price you pay for being open

Have to say, I can see how people might see Apple's approach as a big plus on this one.

I tend to watch the privileges apps say they need before installing. I'm just not sure how reliable those really are - if you attach malware to an app, is it really limited to the rights the apps has requested?

 

[Speed Daemon]

I guess reduced security is the price you pay for being open

Actually, open source software gives you the ultimate security by being able to examine every line of the source code for stuff you don't want. Of course that means that you must take some personal responsibility for your own security, which is only your responsibility anyway. People who want to be consumers like hogs at the trough really have no reason to complain when their mindlessness catches up to them.

 

[Hadron]

I guess reduced security is the price you pay for being open

Have to say, I can see how people might see Apple's approach as a big plus on this one.

I tend to watch the privileges apps say they need before installing. I'm just not sure how reliable those really are - if you attach malware to an app, is it really limited to the rights the apps has requested?

Short answer is yes, but some of the privileges are rather broad. Personally I'd prefer if they were more fine-grained.

Remember that iOS apps also have such privileges, just that the end user isn't told what they are. You have to trust Apple to look after you.

 

[Hadron]

Actually, open source software gives you the ultimate security by being able to examine every line of the source code for stuff you don't want.

Android OS may be open source, but android apps don't have to be.

 

[SiempreTuna]

Actually, open source software gives you the ultimate security by being able to examine every line of the source code for stuff you don't want. Of course that means that you must take some personal responsibility for your own security, which is only your responsibility anyway. People who want to be consumers like hogs at the trough really have no reason to complain when their mindlessness catches up to them.

That's a good theory.

Trouble is, I don't have the time or the inclination to wade through 5,000 lines of diabolically formatted (it always is) code (once I've finally found it) every time I want to download an app.

Plus, not being an Android dev, there's a pretty high chance I wouldn't spot any issues anyway - good luck anyone who hasn't been in IT for 30 years!

If that's really the only answer, the iOS solution begins to sound even better

Nice to have confirmation that I can rely (mostly) on the priviliges notice, though.

 

[Speed Daemon]

Trouble is, I don't have the time or the inclination...

That's your problem. The saying is "buyer beware", not "everyone has a right to be completely safe and lazy".

 

[SiempreTuna]

That's your problem. The saying is "buyer beware", not "everyone has a right to be completely safe and lazy".

Very true

 

[Kamau]

The trouble is some of you just don't get it.
I'm not placing blame, but just saying that it may be time for people to become proactive when it comes to phone malware. You can say read all the permissions until one of us is blue in the face, but as seen lately, that's not always reliable. I'm sure this who make this stuff is slick enough to make a bad app look good (if they fooled the play store).
And as I stated before, maybe it's not widespread today, but as the saying goes "even the longest journey begins with a single step". Seems to me the malware authors have taken a few steps.