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Apple pulls malicious App Store app that took contacts, sent spam

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Apple pulls malicious App Store app that took contacts, sent spam

Apple has removed a malicious app from the App Store that took the user's contacts and used them to send spam. Kaspersky Lab Expert Denis originally reported on the app, Find and Call, for Securelist, based on information from Russian carrier MegaFon.

[MegaFon] notified us about a suspicious application, which was found in both the Apple App Store and Google Play. [...] [Our] analysis of the iOS and Android versions of the same application showed that it’s not an SMS worm but a Trojan that uploads a user’s phonebook to remote server. The 'replication' part is done by the server - SMS spam messages with the URL to the application are being sent from the remote server to all the contacts in the user’s address book.

You can read Apple's statement over on The Loop.

In response to previous incidents of unauthorized transfers, iOS 6 will apparently ask for express permission before granting access to Contacts, the same way current and previous versions of iOS ask for permission to use location. However, that won't protect against apps that, rather than attacking the code of the system, attack the trust and naiveté of the user.

In other words -- apps that deliberately try to deceive users into doing things are very difficult for any system to protect against. Just like people can get conned out of money or property in real life, they can get conned out of data in the digital world. "Enter your password for free porn" is never a good idea on any platform.

The only way to protect against these kinds of human engineering attacks is to be careful what data you allow apps to use. Default to saying "no" unless there's a compelling reason to say "yes".

As iOS gets more popular, these kinds of human engineering attacks will become more and more common. Apple will no doubt remove malicious apps as they appear, and they need to always improve speed of detection and removal, but ultimately we're all responsible for our own safety.

Source: Securelist via Forbes; The Loop



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Google Drive vs. Dropbox vs. SkyDrive redux

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How does Google Drive stack up against other cloud storage services?

Now that Google has released an official Google Drive for iOS app, I figured it was a good idea to update our cloud storage head-to-head to get an even better idea of how the new, improved Google Drive stacks up against both Dropbox and SkyDrive.

When Google Drive launched there was no iOS app, and to access your information you had to use mobile Safari. Does the native Google Drive app make a big difference? Does its lack of upload capabilities make any differences negligible?

I you're still debating which service is better for you, head on over to our updated Google Drive vs. Dropbox vs. SkyDrive and check it out.

Additional Resources:



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Best apps to celebrate the Fourth of July

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Best apps to celebrate the Fourth of July

It's the Fourth of July which means it's time to roll out the grill, crack open the keg, hang up your American Flag, mix up some star-spangled cocktails, and watch the fireworks fly! And, of course, we should also spend a moment or two recognizing what this holiday is all about and reflect on this important part of American history. To help celebrate this Independence Day, we have rounded up some of the best apps to help you reflect on the day, plan your party, and even put on your own little fireworks show.

Happy 4th of July!

US Charters of Freedom

In the excitement of barbecues, parties, fireworks, and vacation, it's easy to forget what the 4th of July is all about -- celebrating Independence Day, the day that that United States adopted the Declaration of Independence and freedom from Great Britain. Many of us haven't read this important document since high school or college, and I'm sure there are even many Americans who have never read the Declaration of Independence. With the U.S. Charters of Freedom for iPhone, you can read the Declaration of Independence (it's not very long!) as well as a detailed analysis of the text. US Charter of Freedom also includes the Constitution and Bill of Rights.

Grill-It!

Now that we know why we're celebrating this day, it's time to start preparing for the big party. Grill-It! will help you perfect that delicious food you're throwing on the grill. Whether you're cooking steak, pork chops, hot dogs, burgers, or even veggies, Grill-It! will give you all the tips and pointers you need to make it absolutely delectable.

Cocktail Flow

Every meal needs a delicious drink, and Cocktail Flow will transform you into the perfect bartender. My favorite feature of Cocktail Flow is that it will generate a list of recipes based on the ingredients you have on hand. You can also filter by color, so if you really want to get in the 4th of July spirit, you can create a menu consisting of only red and blue drinks.

Fireworks!

Unfortunately, there are many counties, like mine, who will not be having a professional fireworks show, leaving their citizens only to experience the small-time fireworks (again if their city allows it) or seek other methods to see a fireworks show. One such alternative is Fireworks!, a little iPhone app that lets you put on your own personal fireworks show in the palm of your hand.

Today in American History

We're going to end with an app that, again, brings the focus to what Independence Day is all about -- The United States of America. Today in American History is a simple little app that gives you facts in U.S. history that are related to the current day. For example, on July 4, Louis Armstrong, Calvin Coolidge, and Nathaniel Hawthorn were born, the Siege of Vicksburg ended during the Civil War, and in 1776, The Second Continental Congress unanimously adopted the Declaration of Independence. Today in American History is a great way to learn random facts about the U.S.

Photo credit: The photo of the fireworks, seen at the top of this article and as the image for the app Fireworks!, is the work of tsuacctnt on Flickr. We edited the iPhone into the photo ourselves.



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Better visualize your driving directions with Google Street View and Cockpit-mode in NAVIGON 2.1

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Better visualize your driving directions with Google Street View and Cockpit-mode in NAVIGON 2.1

NAVIGON, the popular turn-by-turn navigation app for iPhone, has been updated to version 2.1 and now includes Google Street View, manual route blocking, and an optional NAVIGON Cockpit in-app purchase.

Anyone who's ever tried to find a restaurant, bar, or local business knows that knowing what it looks like on the outside can be vitally important to finding precisely where it is. It's not fun driving 30 minutes to get roughly there only to spend another 10 trying to get precisely there. NAVIGON knows this and is adding Google Street View so you can see where you're going even before you get there.

Manual route blocking is more about putting power and control back in the users hands. Once in a while, we really do know better than the machine. So now, if a recommended route comes up, but we know there's some construction there, or just a fast food joint or ex's place we want to avoid seeing, we can tap it and forget it. NAVIGON will consider it blocked and route us around.

Cockpit is like a heads-up mode for driving data. It's all your important info, all in real time, all right where you need to see it. That includes everything from gForce to speed to position. While Cockpit isn't part of the free update, it is available at the same time for $5.99 and could be a lot of fun for off-roaders and performance enthusiasts alike.

NAVIGON is currently the best turn-by-turn navigation app for iPhone for anyone who needs world-wide options and offline support. You can download just the maps you need, when you need them, and have them on your iPhone even when your data connection gets flaky. These new additions and options just make a good thing better.

If you already own NAVIGON, go get your update. If you're planning a trip this summer and need a great turn-by-turn navigation solution for iPhone, go check it out. It's currently on sale until July 16.

Variable - Download now

Full press release:

NAVIGON iPhone navigation app update adds Google Street View, Cockpit function and more

A new version of the NAVIGON iPhone navigation app is now available in the App Store, right in time to guide travelers through the Fourth of July travel period. The free update 2.1 includes Google Street View, NAVIGON Cockpit (in app purchase), manual route blocking and other functions. Additionally, the NAVIGON apps for iPhone and selected in app purchases will be available at a reduced price until July 16, 2012.

Here’s a rundown of the new functionalities included in version 2.1 of the NAVIGON iPhone app:

Google Street View

When using in-car navigation, it can sometimes be challenging to find the right building at your destination, especially if one can’t recognize the house number without leaving the car. The new Google Street View function of the NAVIGON app provides users a street-level image of their destination before starting a route, helping, for example, to identify a specific building upon arrival. Users can even look at a full screen 360° view to get a better understanding of their destination's surrounding. Shortly before arriving at the destination, the Google Street View image slides in again, making it easier to identify the correct location.

NAVIGON Cockpit

A new Cockpit function displays relevant driving data in real time on a cockpit-like screen. Captured data includes gForce (current and maximum value), speed, horizontal and vertical position, and an adjustable speed and altitude graph. Drivers can use this information to see a snapshot of their driving habits. Also included is a dedicated off-road screen with compass and altitude information for off-road driving. NAVIGON Cockpit is available as an in app purchase for $5.99.

Manual Route Blocking

The new and easy to use manual route blocking function allows users to view their route on a map and block certain sections of it by simply tapping them. The app will then automatically calculate an alternative route. This feature is available in route planning mode and during navigation and allows users to better customize their route according to their own preferences. This is especially helpful when navigating in familiar territory, since users can avoid going through a certain city or taking a highway they’d like to navigate around.

Performance enhancements

In response to customer feedback, we improved the start-up time and map rendering performance of the NAVIGON app. Zooming and panning in the map view is now faster as well.

Also included in the app update are enhanced iPad retina display graphics and an optimized map manager interface with new controls for downloading and deleting maps.

Price reductions for a limited time

The North American NAVIGON apps and in app purchases are available at a reduced price until July 16, 2012.

NAVIGON USA: $29.99 instead of $49.99 NAVIGON North America: $39.99 instead of $59.99 NAVIGON MyRegion: $19.99 instead of $29.99 NAVIGON FreshMaps USA: $14.99 instead of $39.99 NAVIGON FreshMaps North America: $9.99 instead of $19.99 NAVIGON FreshMaps MyRegion: $19.99 instead of $49.99 NAVIGON Cockpit: $3.99 instead of $5.99



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