More malicious apps found in Mac App Store that are stealing user data
Security researchers have independently found apps "exfiltrating" data to servers without the user's knowledge, all of which were available to download from Apple's Mac App Store. Each of the apps managed to get past Apple's submission process for the store and were available to download alongside other legitimate apps.
MalwareBytes reports that, in some cases, the data is dispatched to servers in China, a country that doesn't require the same stringent storage requirements as the United States or European countries for personal data. In cases like these, it is highly likely the data is being used for malicious purposes.
The biggest app of the list is Adware Doctor, which topped the chart for paid utilities in the Mac App Store, before being removed after the reports about it first emerged on Friday. The app claims to remove adware threats from a Mac, including extensions and cookies in browsers, but Patrick Wardle advises the "cleaning" process involves collecting the browsing history of the user, as well as a list of all running processes, and a list of software downloaded to the Mac.
