“Don’t Download These Apps”: NCC Sends Urgent Message to Nigerians
- The Nigerian Communications Commission has warned Nigerians to stay away from mobile applications from the ‘Mobile Apps Group’
- According to the commission, the group had been discovered to release apps containing trojans and adware that were harmful to users and their privacy
- It added that the group’s malicious apps include: Bluetooth Auto Connect; Bluetooth App Sender among other
A message has been sent to Nigerians by the Nigerian Communications Commission's Computer Security Incident Response Team (NCC-CSIRT)'.
The message was sent following the constant introduction of malicious apps into Google Play Store.
In a statement made available to Legit.ng, it advised Nigerians against the installation of apps from the offending publisher, the 'Mobile Apps Group', whose products were discovered to contain Trojans and adware that are harmful to users and their privacy.
Source: Facebook
It said:
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“The Nigeria Computer Emergency Response Team (ngCERT) has continued to observe and monitor the constant introduction of malicious mobile applications into Google Play Store.
“Mobile apps Group has a history of distributing malware-infected apps through the Google Play store, and the current batch of apps has already been downloaded over a million times."
It listed this group's malicious apps as the Bluetooth Auto Connect; Bluetooth App Sender; Driver: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, USB; and Mobile transfer: smart switch.
According to the advisory:
“The apps will delay the display of ads for up to three days after installation to avoid detection. However, once this period has passed, the user is bombarded with advertisements and is directed to malicious phishing websites in the Chrome browser. While the device is idle, the malicious app can open Chrome tabs in the background. Some of the sites it opens may appear to be harmless, but they are pay-per-click pages that generate revenue for the developers when clicked on.”
Consequences of installing the malicious apps include the user being bombarded with advertisements, which will degrade the user experience; theft of sensitive user data; clicking on the ads resulting in the stealth download or installation of additional malware, as well as the user privacy and data being jeopardized.
NCC-CSIRT rated the malicious activities of the offending apps as high in probability and potential to do damage.
The CSIRT is the telecom sector’s cyber security incidence centre set up by the NCC to focus on incidents in the telecom sector and as they may affect telecom consumers and citizens at large.
The CSIRT also works collaboratively with ngCERT, established by the Federal Government to reduce the volume of future computer risk incidents by preparing, protecting, and securing Nigerian cyberspace to forestall attacks, and problems or related events.
Cost of data, calls to increase as telecommunication companies write NCC for tariff change
Legit.ng reported that Nigerians are set to pay more for calls and data as telecommunication companies propose a new tariff increase of 40 per cent.
They made this known in a letter they sent to the Nigerian Communications Commission titled, ‘Impact of the Economic and Security Issues on the Telecommunications Sector.
The letter was written by the telecommunications companies under the aegis of the Association of Licensed Telecommunication Operators of Nigeria to the NCC.
Source: Legit.ng
