Database Info

[Q] Applanet

So I see a bunch of folks around xda mentioning, even recommending applanet.
i`m certainly not opposed to free but I just cant figure out why they want permission to access to log in credentials when installing the app.
Would anyone smarter then me like to give their two cents on this?

TainT said:
So I see a bunch of folks around xda mentioning, even recommending applanet.
i`m certainly not opposed to free but I just cant figure out why they want permission to access to log in credentials when installing the app.
Would anyone smarter then me like to give their two cents on this?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
hmmm. I don't remember it asking me for credentials....I got the apk and installed it, and it launched......maybe it used my stored credentials? hmmm. I did not give it too much thought as I have 2 google accounts. 1 for junk and another more serious. They could hack the junk one all they want.

Lemme clarify. When you install the app. The permissions page pops up telling you applanet wants (among other things) permission to access your account credentials.
Very few apps I have seen need this level of access.
Sent from my SGH-T849

Just buy apps!
Pirating will stop/stall development for the best and new apps in the android market. Support them, this will give you more pleasure with your tablet in the end.

Kwart1001 said:
Just buy apps!
Pirating will stop/stall development for the best and new apps in the android market. Support them, this will give you more pleasure with your tablet in the end.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agreed ... baring in mind that there are apps on the Market that require really suspicious permissions as well, regardless of whether they are free or not. It's probably worse with APKTor, which is not designed towards secured downloads

Kwart1001 said:
Just buy apps!
Pirating will stop/stall development for the best and new apps in the android market. Support them, this will give you more pleasure with your tablet in the end.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I support many developers by buying apps. I didn't start this thread to be lectured by you.
I wonder why someone so opposed to pirating is even here?
Sent from my SGH-T849

TainT said:
I support many developers by buying apps. I didn't start this thread to be lectured by you.
I wonder why someone so opposed to pirating is even here?
Sent from my SGH-T849
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You other guys aren't even reading what he's written
"The permissions page pops up telling you applanet wants (among other things) permission to access your account credentials"
As in - when you install an app from the market, it tells you what it's going to access on your phone and asks for your OK. He's asking why an app would want access to your credential information portion of the phone (as opposed to just SD Card Contents, etc). He hasn't said ANYTHING about trying to pirate apps!
BTW, I've never seen one ask for that.

TainT said:
I wonder why someone so opposed to pirating is even here?
Sent from my SGH-T849
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
By that you mean what? That people opposed to pirating apps shouldnt read threads by people that do?
Im also opposed to pirating. Yeah, if the app is free and you cant get it, then ask the dev for the apk, but knowingly taking a paid app without giving a donation or any recognition to the dev is wrong.
Just my opinion.
Sent from my GT-P1000

What I meant was. Why would someone with such high morals be on a site dedicated to circumventing software limitations imposed by others.
Having said that. Everyone is entitled to their opinion and since the awkwardness of the apPlanet apk changed my mind about installing it I don't even see a need to continue those thread.
BTW. Some apps are ridiculously expensive and I still don't see a reason to pay upwards of $20 dollars to a group of investors just to find i still can't edit word documents.
Sent from my SGH-T849

There is a big difference in "circumventing software limitations imposed by others" on a device you have bought and own and blatant pirating of apps

So, everyone on xda has no morals? Im sorry, but thats a ridiculous statement. People on here mod free apps, or they will mod paid if you have proof youve paid for the app. No roms have paid apps in them unless theyre put in by mistake and then theyre taken out.
And yeah, there are ridiculously priced apps (navigation for £40 - £80) but people do buy them.
Sent from my GT-P1000 using XDA App

TainT said:
What I meant was. Why would someone with such high morals be on a site dedicated to circumventing software limitations imposed by others.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Applanet is a warez source - this site has a very strict policy *against* warez, which is probably why the "hacking" aspect of it is tolerated.
There's one other thread on XDA concerning Applanet and it got shutdown immediately.
BTW. Some apps are ridiculously expensive and I still don't see a reason to pay upwards of $20 dollars to a group of investors just to find i still can't edit word documents.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That still doesn't make stealing an application right though does it? Don't forget that you have 24 hours from making your Market purchases to uninstall and get a refund if it doesn't suit your needs.
Regards,
Dave

I though this subject was not about pirating but more about why an app asks for some rights.
btw applanet is not only for pirating it also provides free apps unavailable on the market.
in addition it seems to not providing anything anymore the last past days....

There's supposedly a new release coming soon, and they're fixing the server end of it as well.
I think what it boils down to is if you're uncomfortable with the permissions an app is requesting, then don't install it. Better safe than sorry right?

Actually its only 15 mins to return the app. Still its better than ios
Sent from my GT-P1000 using XDA App

AppPlanet is a warez app.
We don't do warez here. XDA is about getting the most from your device, not about screwing people over.
Closed.

rooted finally, now i have a few Adfree issues?

Wondering if anyone else is having this problem. A few apps seem to get a bit screwy after using adfree. One of the main ones is Words with Friends. It loads up and goes to a full screen error.
Any way to set exceptions for certain apps, or should I just deal with the ads?

I had to pick ad free or words with friends on my dinc ...sucks there is a big ad that tries to load there for some reason only when you have ad free...

Yes words with friends does not work with adfree...it sucks
Sent from my Thunderbolt!

There was a version in the Incredible forums that fixed this.

The game and adfree worked fine on my Due. I have adfree on my TB, but not the game.
Sent from my ADR6400L using Tapatalk

madzozs said:
Wondering if anyone else is having this problem. A few apps seem to get a bit screwy after using adfree. One of the main ones is Words with Friends. It loads up and goes to a full screen error.
Any way to set exceptions for certain apps, or should I just deal with the ads?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They need adds to create revenue, so they try to make it as difficullt to block them as possible. Also, this hould be in Q&A/General section.
fillyo said:
There was a version in the Incredible forums that fixed this.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Apps like that are considered warez at XDA, and will be removed and acted upon as such.

option94 said:
They need adds to create revenue, so they try to make it as difficullt to block them as possible. Also, this hould be in Q&A/General section.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry for the wrong section. Figured due to it requiring root and being caused by an app not working with another this would work.
Never had the issue with my DX so I was confused. Guess I'll get rid of adfree for now.

Here is a fix
http://neallambert.com/?p=5
Worked great for me, but you will have ads in Words with Friends... Itll work tho

option94 said:
Apps like that are considered warez at XDA, and will be removed and acted upon as such.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't see how this can be...
The original version is in the Android market, and lists an XDA forum thread as the authors homepage.
It had a bug with the way it worked with one app, and was fixed by someone locally, who didn't try to pretend it was theirs, or anything other than a fixed version.
How would it count as warez?

earhog said:
Here is a fix
http://neallambert.com/?p=5
Worked great for me, but you will have ads in Words with Friends... Itll work tho
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Worked for me as well. I don't mind the ads in Words free. I had them on my DX with AdFree running as well. Thanks again.

The problem with Ad Free (or any ad blocker) and Words With Friends is not unique to the Thunderbolt. Same issue on my Nexus S.
You can get past it by opening the app, and VERY VERY QUICKLY hitting an existing game to open it. You'll bypass the first ugly ad and be able to play the game. If you aren't fast enough the first time, hit the back button to exit, and then reload and try the game.
Works for me on both Thunderbolt and Nexus S.
edit: I don't usually mind ads, but it's apps like Words w/Friends that drive me to ad blockers. Ads that are intrusive, non-relevant, and obnoxious turn me off. Words violates all of those, even going so far as to start video ads without my okay. I understand devs and companies need to generate revenus, so I always buy a pro version of an app if it's available; I don't expect stuff for free, but I won't put up with intrusive ads either. Does Words have a paid model? I haven't seen it.

Apps that remove adds take away from devs revenue. If they had an app without adds, they would charge for it. If you posted that it would be warez since it would be taking away from dev revenue. Taking out the adds does the same thing, thus making it warez.

option94 said:
Apps that remove adds take away from devs revenue. If they had an app without adds, they would charge for it. If you posted that it would be warez since it would be taking away from dev revenue. Taking out the adds does the same thing, thus making it warez.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Lol. Yeah, thats not how it works, but thanks for your creative interpretation...
I hope you don't ever use any adblock software for firefox/chrome/ie...

option94 said:
Apps that remove adds take away from devs revenue. If they had an app without adds, they would charge for it. If you posted that it would be warez since it would be taking away from dev revenue. Taking out the adds does the same thing, thus making it warez.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm pretty sure they pay for putting the ads there not for every add that shows up... So that screws up you explanation
Warez is taking a "PAID" app and distributing it as free
Sent from my ADR6400L using XDA Premium App

[Q] Android malware

http://blog.mylookout.com/2011/05/s...ew-malware-from-the-developers-of-droiddream/
is the list of apps that were just discovered over the last few days by Google.
In reading other articles, I see Google will remove them and I wouldn't have a problem, but I'm sure a few of the games I got from Amazon.
Does anyone know how Amazon handles this removable...do I manually look for and delete the games? Guess, I'm assuming Amazon's would hold the possibly of malware, also.
I haven't been through this before, so wanted to ask.
I, also, saw an app Google uses - Android Market Security Tool, I wonder if that's helpful for me for anything from Amazon that I might have downloaded?
Thanks

so be honest what one of the Hot Girls programs listed did you download.

tonyz3, LOL - that's funny.
Well, I did another 30 min. research on web about how Amazon may handle any apps with malware and couldn't find a thing.
So I sent Amazon an e-mail, hopefully I got the right department(s). Telling them I do have some games on that list from them, wanting to know if there's any action I should take or will they?
Apparently Google is on top of it (although they slipped through), but I don't know that Amazon is at this point.
I'll let you know if I hear back from them.
Edit: I should add I'm not having any problem with my TF or apps..just trying to stay ahead of the game.(s) My TF will be 3 weeks old tomorrow, love it and my dock gets here tomorrow-yea!

I don't see a denial there so maybe it's all of them he has installed. Anyways thanks for the heads up. Glad I dont have any of those apps. For future use you may wish to consider installing the AVG free android app called 'Anti-Virus Free'. You can get it HERE.

stuntdouble said:
I don't see a denial there so maybe it's all of them he has installed. Anyways thanks for the heads up. Glad I dont have any of those apps. For future use you may wish to consider installing the AVG free android app called 'Anti-Virus Free'. You can get it HERE.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Big Thanks, stuntdouble! For the info and the link.
I'm off to get it now...sounds good.

I just received a response from Amazon, when I questioned the safety of their apps for malware....and they even went the extra mile when I sent a link from mylookout.com listing the apps, they doubled check and they don't carry any of them.
Ok, guess I panicked & I don't have any apps from Amazon on that list(s). But, now I know-lol
Here's their reply:
"All of our games downloads go through a review process which includes virus and
spyware scanning. This is done with software from multiple vendors, and our
games are considered virus-free. I also looked into the article you reference
and was not able to find any of the Apps listed on our website.
Our goal is for Amazon Appstore customers to have a good experience with every
app they buy from the Appstore. As a result, we test all apps and updates prior
to making them available in our store to verify that each app works as outlined
in the product description, does not impair the functionality of the mobile
device, and does not put your data at risk once installed.
I hope this helps, Thanks so much for your interest in the Amazon Appstore.
Did I solve your problem?"
Very nice reply! And I now have AVG and Lookout app on my tablet.

sunsetbay said:
Very nice reply! And I now have AVG and Lookout app on my tablet.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm curious, did either of those anti-virus apps identify those apps as being malware prior to them being pulled? It doesn't look like it.
"The Lookout Security Team identified the malware thanks to a tip from a developer who notified us that modified versions of his app and another developer’s app were being distributed in the Android Market."
I have nothing against Lookout or any other Android anti-virus, but have the anti-virus apps ever actually found anything? It's not a rhetorical question. I don't use them and truly don't know.

ad1980,
Well, in the end I feel a bit foolish...remember I said I panicked.(s)
Two of the games I thought I had were by a different developer and Tetris that I deleted a couple of weeks ago from my tablet isn't showing up in Google's or Amazon's library any longer. So I'm sure who that developer was.
Sorry, I should have dug further before I started this thread on the developers/games.
In the end, I learned a bit more about malware on a tablet and how Amazon and Google handles it. Right now I have AVG and Lookout Mobile Security that doesn't seem to be slowing me down in any way. Looks like I'll keep both and let them scan
as I download, etc.

Hey I'm glad you posted! I'm curious if anyone has seen some benefit from using these Anti-Virus apps. It sounds great in theory, but does it actually do anything? It appears to me that there's little benefit. From what I can tell it goes something like this:
Malware appears in the Market
Someone informs Lookout/ElGoog/AVG etc...
All companies block/remove the offending apps at about the same time
I guess if you use those shady appstores you could benefit if these specific Malware apps still exist in those places.
I'm still interested to hear if anyone has seen/heard of these apps having a positive effect.

Ad1980 and all, I see this a.m. more malware has been discovered in the Google Market and this article may answer your question on how well anti-virus works - not(s).
http://www.informationweek.com/news/230600068
What I come away with is one person, Xuxian Jiang, discovered them and then reported them to Google and various anti-virus companies. Doesn't sound too proactive does it?
I almost think my Lookout got an update this week, maybe it was this...after the apps have been out for 2 months. But, Lookout did discover the last batch, this one they didn't. Hmmm, I know still in the beginning stages.
One of these Angry Birds add-ons I almost bought, but the reviews were so bad I didn't...guess now I know why it didn't work.(s) Real close that last week I almost did buy it for 2nd or 3rd time, since I'm not doing so well with beating Angry Birds(s).

Just a note to OP: the article you linked states the malware is run by reading phone state, if you hadn't noticed the TF101 is a tablet and not a phone and thus the malware wouldn't ever run.

Ofseshmaru, Oh, you are so right - sorry. And Thank you for correcting me that it's about phones.
Of course, I know TF101 is a tablet and I did miss in reading the article that it's about phones only.
Guess I just saw the malware connection to Google market place again and how it relates to viruses and malware being discovered...still interesting.
In the end looks like that one app add-on I wanted, I wouldn't have been able to get anyway.

@Sunsetbay
Yeah, that's exactly what I'm talking about. It looks like all Lookout would do here is prevent you from downloading a known-malware-laden app. But, if the app is already known to have malware, then Google takes it down and there's no point in having Lookouts protection.
I would love to have a virus protection app that works, but from what I've seen Lookout and the others are all completely retroactive. Anyone have any different experience?

So does this mean there's no use whatsoever in installing anti-malware?

bimmer69 said:
So does this mean there's no use whatsoever in installing anti-malware?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you're only installing apps from Google's market, then you'd likely receive zerobenefit from using any of the anti-malware utilities- as they won't really be offering anything that Google isn't already (the removal of known malware). Even for sideloaded/from other markets, I have to question how effective things like Lookout would really be. It's extremely easy to get root on pretty much any device out there, and once an app has root it's pretty much game over for everyone else on the system.
Anti-malware will always be pretty much the worst line of defense out there (phone, tablet, or desktop- doesn't matter which). They're reactionary in nature, and add a rather large amount of overhead to many common operations on a system.
Unfortunately, until the manufacturers and Google start taking security updates seriously, our phones' security amounts to about as much as a piece of swiss cheese at stopping a typhoon.

Help With Lock and Protect Our Phones..IE *DroidDream*

So I have been looking around online just some basic stuff about privacy on the android phones and so forth.
I have also looked around the xda forums about Privacy and Protecting your ID or anything that you dont want to get out or w.e the case maybe so Im looking for some help and maybe this can help others about this if they wish to.
Well im looking for something that I can have the most protection toward viruses/malware/ID theft or any "stealth" like traces after uninstalling apps and anything that falls into that category. I have came across something called DroidDream Not sure if this is still going on in the world of android or some other form of it. But over all its something that the malware is designed to only run while the android phone is sleeping. Also talks about Once the Android smartphone is rooted, DroidDream searches for a specific package named "com.android.providers.downloadsmanager". If the package is not found, DroidDream silently installs a second malicious app without the user's knowledge. Other malicious apps can be installed in stealth from the DroidDream command and control servers I did find this info from pcworld site but thats some basic stuff..also it talks about the the update of gingerbread helped fixed that issue.
But like I said was looking for something that I can use or other members if they are not aware of such to help lock/protect their phones. I also did come across this link int he xda forums http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1357056&highlight=Privacy
Also check this out https://www.androidpolice.com/2011/...-and-carrieriq-in-a-new-class-action-lawsuit/
This app seems to be prefect for what im looking for or maybe anyone may have other ideas for something like this.
Thanks for all who reply and is helpful..

When I had a BlackBerry there were a ton of malware apps and I've only seen one or two for android. There was one that I used for a bit before rooting but ill have to get back to you on the name.
But definitely a good idea I always wondered after rooting if that made my phone more vunerable to "hacks" e.g. so if there were a safety feature like that I would definitely use it

I know one of the most popular used is locked out and norton,avg, kaspersky mobile and another one something like netQuin I think but I know when I had the avg and when I scan my phone it said I had a virus but then I try the lock out anti virus and it said I did not.so idk ..
HTC Inspire

NetQuij is the one I used for a few days. Not sure of how well it worjed but thats definitely the o.e I was thinking of

As long as you only install apps from a known good source you have almost no worries. The security is only as good as the hacker. In other words if the hacker what's in your phone bad enough the only way to stop him is to shut it off. Mainly when running a rom like MIUI that use root exploits like crazy.
The main time this happens is when people download pirated apps from servers in Europe and in that case then they deserve what they get. All the antivirus programs really are pointless and slow up the phone. So just be careful and never try to get paid apps for free and you will be fine.
As for the programs showing different results that is due to something being labled a virus and others not. Take the hack kit. Any virus program will remove parts on DL even though it is not a virus at all.

zelendel said:
As long as you only install apps from a known good source you have almost no worries. The security is only as good as the hacker. In other words if the hacker what's in your phone bad enough the only way to stop him is to shut it off. Mainly when running a rom like MIUI that use root exploits like crazy.
The main time this happens is when people download pirated apps from servers in Europe and in that case then they deserve what they get. All the antivirus programs really are pointless and slow up the phone. So just be careful and never try to get paid apps for free and you will be fine.
As for the programs showing different results that is due to something being labled a virus and others not. Take the hack kit. Any virus program will remove parts on DL even though it is not a virus at all.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks zel for that info.. and I didn't know miui had stuff like that
HTC Inspire

Major uptick in Android Malware

I don't know how many of you pay attention to security issues but I thought I would post a link to this Threatpost article.
http://threatpost.com/en_us/blogs/staggering-increase-android-malware-variants-trojan-apps-051612
It behooves one to pay attention to what you are installing and what permissions apps are requesting. I just ditched Evernote due to increased permissions, even though it is from what one might call a trusted source.
Edit: I have not finished perusing the F-Secure Mobile Threat Report, but so far it is a good read.

I've never once had a problem with any kind of malware or virus on my phone. Then again I'm careful and use common sense. Which goes a long way
Sent from my SGH-I777 using xda premium

Phalanx7621 said:
I've never once had a problem with any kind of malware or virus on my phone. Then again I'm careful and use common sense. Which goes a long way
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Common sense does go a long way. With some of the posts I've seen on XDA, there seems to be a lack of that not-so-common attribute. Flashing without thinking, sideloading apps from unknown sources, etc.
Google appears to be reacting (albeit slowly) with Bouncer, trying to police Market/Play. I'm not sure if Amazon is doing anything similar for their app store. The big picture still looks rather grim. Will we be looking at large scale botnets this year? Hopefully not. The idea of Android botnets makes me a bit ill.

Unless malware can show up on the store, I don't see the issue here. It's a risk we've all known about since the day Android came out.

alpha-niner64 said:
Unless malware can show up on the store, I don't see the issue here. It's a risk we've all known about since the day Android came out.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Malware has shown up on the store. The issue is that Android is increasing its market share by leaps and bounds, black hats are writing more sophisticated malware, and more people are hacking their devices without a clue as to what they are doing. If you read the F-Secure Mobile Threat Report (linked in Threatpost), the number of detected malware APK's has grown tenfold over the last year.

Golly gosh.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA

Phalanx7621 said:
I've never once had a problem with any kind of malware or virus on my phone. Then again I'm careful and use common sense. Which goes a long way
Sent from my SGH-I777 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Exactly the same here

Windows has had malware threats for well over a decade and as it matured the OS was patched to deal with it. Android is more secure than Windows is, you not only have to download a malicious app you also have to install it before anything bad can happen.
Google will hopefully implement a more effective way of preventing malware from entering the Play Store but this may have the side effect of false positives on certain rooting/tweaking apps.

As pc are being replaced by tablets, its a juicy business for anti virus companies.
So i wouldn't trust any report from av companies...
It's usually pretty vague. Which app on android market?
As you get virus when you install warez games on pc, the same goes for android if you manually install an apk out of android market. Nothing new.

rchtk said:
As pc are being replaced by tablets, its a juicy business for anti virus companies.
So i wouldn't trust any report from av companies...
It's usually pretty vague. Which app on android market?
As you get virus when you install warez games on pc, the same goes for android if you manually install an apk out of android market. Nothing new.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think you guys are missing the OP's point. You dont have to manually install an .apk.
A fake company called "MYOURNET" (touche for the name, rather ironic now) took a bunch of real apps from the market, injected them with malware and resubmitted them back onto the marketplace. The new malware could root your phone, steal your data, and keep a backdoor open for more goodies. Crazy ****.
http://androidcommunity.com/android-virus-served-up-by-user-myournet-20110302/

I admi i didn't open the pdf (pdf is now the number one virus vector ;-) but as far as i see it didn't mention reinjection in the market. Well.. pay attention to permissions..
Nothing else to do.
How to define a virus? That is the question..
Only install trusted editor from the market. Only install applications which provide ttheir source code and read it..

Easy answer for malware pike: piracy, period