Google Moves Against Growing Volume of Malware on Android Market

From DailyTech: With a few scant exceptions like unauthorized tethering apps, Google has been rather permissive in what it allows on its Android Market -- its counter to the iTunes App Store. Whereas approval through Apple can be filled with months of rejections and delays for some unlucky developers, Google has tried harder to make the process of publishing an app as straight forward as possible.

Some malicious parties, though, have tried to take advantage of the company's permissive nature. On December 22, First Tech Credit Union wrote that a "fraudster developed a rogue Android Smartphone app" that spoofs users with a fake bank interface, trying to get users to fill in their account information. That day BayPort Credit Union's mobile bank provider, MShift, announced similar concerns, stating that it had contacted Google on the December 15 about another rogue app.

It turns out that the developer -- 09Droid -- actually had a plethora of fake bank apps available on the Android Market, including apps posing as Chase, Sun Trust and Bank of America. Google has at last removed those apps from the market, explaining that they clearly violate its terms of use.

Writes a Google spokesperson, "The Android Market Content Policy clearly states that we don't allow applications on Android Market to identify themselves with third-party marks without permission. If an application violates the content policy, we will remove it from Android Market, and developer accounts will be terminated for repeated violations."

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