The Google Play Store is home to millions of apps that are available for free or for a small fee and allow Android smartphone users to get the most out of their device. However, sometimes these Android apps can cause major problems for the users as they leak personal information online. Unlike the case with malware, these apps are simply configured incorrectly, which means developers can fix these issues. However, until they do, using these apps can have a very negative impact on users.
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This apps are leaking your data
According to a report by CyberNews, Android apps Firebase from the Play Store are leaking user data due to misconfiguration, resulting in personal information being leaked online. The Firebase platform is provided by Google so that developers can add multiple capabilities to their apps without much effort. The report said that these apps were popular and have been downloaded more than 140 million times.
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Why do apps collect data?
Researchers analyzed 1,100 of the most popular apps on the Play Store across 55 categories. These were analyzed by decompiling and searching each app for traces of their default Firebase address. The apps didn't configure Firebase properly, so the report says users' data could be leaked - including usernames, email addresses for accounts as well as the user's real name. The report also alleges that anyone who knows the URL to access these databases without certification - something that will work by guessing the URL. The report states that Google did not respond to attempts to reach out, so installing these apps could mean that data is still being leaked by these apps.
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| Google images |
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