According to insiders, Google banned dozens of apps from the Play Store after learning that they were secretly collecting data, including popular Muslim prayer apps with over 10 million downloads.
Researchers discovered a piece of code that gathered user data and removed a barcode scanner, a weather app, and a clock widget from the Play Store.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the malware was generated by a company linked to a US defence contractor that “undertakes cyberintelligence, network-defence, and intelligence-intercept operations for US national-security organisations.” The code was purportedly used to extract personal information such as phone numbers from the devices.
Some of the apps could even track users’ locations, and they had been downloaded over 60 million times in total.
Al-Moazin Lite (Prayer Times), Qibla Compass – Ramadan 2022, Al Quran Mp3 – 50 Reciters & Translation Audio, Speed Camera Radar, and Smart Kit 360 are among the most popular apps affected.
According to The Wall Street Journal, Google pulled the apps from its Play Store on March 25. According to the magazine, Google spokesman Scott Westover stated that the apps may be relisted after the spyware was removed. Some apps are already available on Google Play.
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