Knockoff Google Android Apps Pulled For Malware

Google's Hugo Barra speaks during presentation of latest version of Android operating system. Reuters

A rogue Google Android developer by the name of Myournet took advantage of the company's openness by developing free malware induced apps, which were direct rip-offs of popular apps.

The news was first discovered by a poster on the website Reddit, where a user had noticed 21 popular apps had been imitated and embedded with malware. For example, the app Guitar Solo Lite was reworked as Super Guitar Solo and contained a root exploit. There's also another exploit within the app that steals a user's product ID, model, partner (which may refer to their service provider), language, country, and user ID. According to the blog Android Police, it can also download more code.

After finding out about these knockoff apps, Google immediately pulled all 21 of them. However, for many users, it may have been too late. There were 50,000 downloads for the apps by the time Google found out and yanked them.

One of the developers posted on the Reddit story and said he had known about this for a week and had contacted Google several times with no response. The story could bring criticism towards Android's relatively open policy as compared to Apple's closed system with its App Store.

Update: Google confirmed it pulled the apps. The company does not pre-screen apps or have an approval system prior to them being published to Market, but says it takes swift action to investigate and take down any offending apps.

The following apps were removed by Google, and if downloaded, should be deleted immediately.

Falling Down

Super Guitar Solo

Super History Eraser

Photo Editor

Super Ringtone Maker

Super Sex Positions

Hot Sexy Videos

Chess

????_Falldown

Hilton Sex Sound

Screaming Sexy Japanese Girls