Gambling Apps Sneak into Top 100: How Hundreds of Fake Apps Spread on iOS App Store and Google Play

guest · Sep 26, 2019

Gambling Apps Sneak into Top 100: How Hundreds of Fake Apps Spread on iOS App Store and Google Play
September 26, 2019
https://blog.trendmicro.com/trendla...dreds-fake-apps-spread-app-store-google-play/

Google Play and iOS App store are no strangers to fake apps trying to trick users into downloading ad- or malware-ridden versions.

We found hundreds of the fake apps on iOS App Store and Google Play, with descriptions that are inconsistent with their content. While the apps’ descriptions varied, they share the same suspicious behavior: They could transform into gambling apps that may get banned for violating local government regulations and app store policies.
How the apps are distributed: From webpage to app store
The apps can be downloaded either through a gambling site or the aforementioned app stores.
Notably, the download button on the site will redirect the user to the App Store. This means that these gambling apps passed the iOS App Store’s review.
Click to expand...

How the fake apps bypassed the app stores’ review
These fake apps start as a seemingly normal app, with varying features and functionalities (e.g., for weather tracking or entertainment purposes), but we found that the fake apps can be controlled to appear innocuous.

For one thing, the apps have a “switch” feature, whereby a threat actor can set the app to either show or hide the actual app content. In this case, the API is switched off during the app’s review process.
After the apps have passed the review, they can be publicly downloaded from the app stores. The threat actors then switch it “on” to enable viewing of the app’s actual content.
Click to expand...

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Gambling Apps Sneak into Top 100: How Hundreds of Fake Apps Spread on iOS App Store and Google Play

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