in the muddy area of information security (Should we say “insecurity”?) We find examples that resonate with the force, such as the hack that took $600 million out of the crypto game. In parallel with the big robberies, every week we see Ant robbery in digital scene Which are mainly broadcast through the App Store.
A mod on the rise, though not as well known, wool goods, It is a type of malicious program that disguises itself in free applications and silently generates subscriptions to premium services.
What is Fleeceware? 5 facts to keep in mind
- In English, ,to shave“hurting”, combined with “where”, refers to the word Software He drives away users, that is, they take their money.
- wool goods It hides in innocent apps. These are usually free tools like flashlights, calculators, image filters, wallpapers, QR code readers or simple games.
- Specification of Fleeceware with Apps It’s that they run fraud, even though they don’t have malicious code to infect devices.
- Its peculiarity is as follows: they are installed on the computer and warn that will charge after a trial period. But they do it very secretly.
- How do they raise money? Unsuspecting users do not uninstall fleaware applications, which start issuing charges after a certain period of time.
Fleasware, Apps in the Gray Area
These types of apps run Between legality and bad practices, This hybrid character explains its danger: by not including malware In the source code, they don’t necessarily turn on security alerts. However, they take money in ways not a saint,
As we mentioned, these apps secretly announce that at some point they will start charging monthly fees. The main victims are users who don’t review those details.
Another drawback is that, even when aware of that practice, Difficult to find drop requests and/or performance
Another fact complicates the scene: When reviewing the scores of these apps, many demonstrate a good reputation. Why? is about payment review,
Apple Targeted for Fleetware in the App Store
last week, Apps Fleeceware The presence of more than 80 such devices in the official store of the Appleapp Store.
read also, Alert for iPhone for 84 dangerous applications that are circulating in the App Store
a report of vpncheck Turns out that the Cupertino company allows the circulation of Fleasware, despite the fact that 80 of those applications were reported last year. Those tools have already been downloaded more than 7 million times, generating more than $8.6 million in revenue, the source said.
Now, why does Apple allow Fleeceware Fleeceware in its stores? Explanation should be sought in the above character: Although the modus operandi is fraudulent, the priority is not because users are alerted that a fee will be charged. Once the trial period is over.
The problem is that unlike similar models in these cases (which offer a few months free of charge) it’s intended to make unsubscribing as difficult as possible. Too, Fees for features widely available for free or at a very low cost.
Commissioning Developers, One of the Keys to Fleasware’s Success
App Store owners, Apple and Google, take commission from developers. That is, they take a percentage of the profits earned through earning apps.
The practice gained particular visibility in the context of a lawsuit between Epic Games, the developer of Fortnite: Battle Royale, and apples. Aside from the details of that conflict, the truth is that patterns Shops continue to charge a “toll”, which has been reduced in some cases.
This is an important variable when analyzing trend of woolen utensils, Is Apple’s inaction against such apps due to the fact that it takes a percentage of the profits? “Given how easy these apps are to find, it appears that Apple cares more about its 30 percent cut, search advertising business and App Store profitability than protecting its users from fraudulent apps,” he said. does.” phone arena,
Fleeceware Applications: Tips To Avoid Scams
For bypass fleawareIn principle, it is convenient to follow some general recommendations in computer security.
- Avoid downloading from unofficial stores; However, as we have seen, this type of covert fraud also circulates on official platforms.
- Review reviews and reputation of developers; However, as we have seen, there are scores that are paid and therefore not authentic.
there are others Most effective practice to avoid wool pots,
- common senseNote: When searching for and downloading apps, it’s a good idea to ask yourself whether an app it says will charge a fee is actually worth downloading.
- watchful eye: It’s true that many victims of Fleetware don’t even read that fees will be charged in the future. In the meantime, another piece of advice is to read the fine print a little carefully.
- stay informed: It is perhaps the best antidote to the various types of digital fraud that circulates, including fleaware and its uncertain nature. An informed user is always a more elusive victim for cyber attackers.
- Review card summary: Since digital activity is closely linked to (increasingly) financial services, it is a good practice to regularly review card details to identify potential charges that we were not aware of.
eventually, What to do if you’ve fallen into a Fleetware network, That is, how to act if we find that a simple application, without our full consent, is charging month after month?
Contacting the store in these cases is complicated (as we said, it doesn’t necessarily have to be malware and unless they’re banned), it’s most convenient. Contact the concerned bank and request to unsubscribe from that service so that payment requests are stopped.
