Tag: Chinese apps

Chinese keyboard app on Xiaomi, Oppo, and Vivo phones has security flaw, reveals what users type

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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A Chinese keyboard app that comes pre-installed on millions of Android smartphones has a critical security flaw, new research has revealed. The app’s vulnerability could potentially expose users’ sensitive information, including what they type, the Citizen Lab, an academic research group in Toronto, Canada, has revealed.

The group investigated the security of cloud-based pinyin keyboard apps already installed in the device and found that eight of nine vendors transmitted user keystrokes for vulnerabilities, potentially exposing the keystrokes of more than a billion users to eavesdroppers.

The most popular typing in Chinese is the pinyin method, based on the pinyin romanisation of Chinese characters, used by nearly 76% of the users.

“We reported these vulnerabilities to all nine vendors. Most vendors responded, took the issue seriously, and fixed the reported vulnerabilities, although some keyboard apps remain vulnerable,” they said.

“Sogou, Baidu, and iFlytek IMEs alone comprise over 95% of the market share for third-party IMEs in China, which are used by around a billion people. In addition to the users of third-party keyboard apps, we found that the default keyboards on devices from three manufacturers (Honor, OPPO, and Xiaomi) were also vulnerable to attacks.

“Devices from Samsung and Vivo also bundled a vulnerable keyboard, but it was not used by default. In 2023, Honor, OPPO, and Xiaomi alone comprised nearly 50% of the smartphone market in China,” the report said.

The study concludes with a summary of recommendations to users:

The users of QQ pinyin or the pre-installed keyboard should switch keyboards immediately.

The users of any Sogou, Baidu, or iFlytek keyboard should ensure their keyboards and operating systems are up-to-date.

The users of any Baidu IME keyboard should switch to a different keyboard or disable the ‘cloud-based’ feature in their devices.

Users with privacy concerns should not enable ‘cloud-based’ features on their keyboards or IMEs or should switch to a keyboard that does not offer ‘cloud-based’ prediction.

The iOS users should not enable ‘Full Access’ for their keyboards or IMEs who are having privacy concerns.

The users are advised to keep their devices and apps updated to protect themselves against potential threats, be mindful of the permissions granted to apps, and use reputable security software. Additionally, users should consider using alternative keyboard apps from trusted sources to mitigate the risk and protect their privacy and security.

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Zerodha’s Nithin Kamath warns of ‘latest scam’ from China; details here

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Zerodha founder Nithin Kamath on Thursday warned investors of the ‘latest scam’ from China. As part of the scam, fraudsters are creating hundreds of websites and apps — similar to ones operated by Indian brokerage firms — to dupe people.

“After the Chinese loan apps scam, the latest scam from actors in China and other Asian countries is phishing websites. Fraudsters are creating hundreds of websites and trading apps that look similar to the websites of Indian brokers,” Kamath wrote on social media site X.

Once the users click on the download link, they are prompted to download the fake apps, he stated.

“Unwitting users who click on the app download links, etc., will be prompted to download the fake app. The goal is to get people to transfer money by taking advantage of their familiarity with these apps. This is just another one of the hundreds of international scams that have exploded in the last few years,” he added.

After the Chinese loan apps scam, the latest scam from actors in China and other Asian countries is phishing websites. Fraudsters are creating hundreds of websites and trading apps that look similar to the websites of Indian brokers.

Unwitting users who click on the app download…

— Nithin Kamath (@Nithin0dha) February 15, 2024

About 66% of people in India have fallen victim to online dating scams in the past year, with 81% among them experiencing financial loss, news agency IANS reported on Thursday citing a new report.

“The scale of pig butchering scams in India runs into tens of thousands of crores. It is scary how many people fall for fake job offer scams, scammy high-return investment schemes, and crypto investments, etc,” Kamath wrote on X in November last year.

The term ‘pig butchering’ is used to describe a type of financial scam where the scammers operate a network of fake accounts across multiple social media and dating platforms like Tinder, WhatsApp, Instagram, and Telegram among others.

“As the name implies, a pig butchering scam involves fattening the victim before butchering. Scammers gain the trust of users by using fake profiles. They use the pretence of love and friendship to gain the trust of users and then induce them to send money for jobs and high-return investments and steal the money. These scams are global, and their scope is staggering,” Kamath wrote on the social media site.

He also shared a few tips to protect yourself from these scammers. These include:

1. Never reply to unknown messages on WhatsApp, social media platforms, and dating apps.
2. If someone asks you to download some new apps or open links, that’s a red flag.
3. These scams rely on exploiting your emotions, like hopes, fears, dreams, and greed. Never react in a hurry.
4. Don’t panic. Most people fall for these scams because they react in a hurry.
5. When in doubt, go to the nearest police station or talk to a lawyer.
6. If someone promises something like a job or high returns or asks you for money, it’s a red flag.
7. Never share personally identifiable information like your Aadhaar, passport, or financial information like bank details, investment details, etc.
8. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

The China link: How an intel agency’s report, letter from MHA triggered ban on popular game BGMI

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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It was a report by a central intelligence agency and communication from the ministry of home affairs (MHA) to the ministry of electronics and information technology (Meity) that triggered a ban on the popular battle royale game Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI).

The report talked about violations that can create cyber threats by harvesting user data for profiling to carry out targeted cyber-attacks on Indian users.

According to a senior government official, the app has various issues but most importantly, it is communicating with servers directly or indirectly located in China. Sources also confirmed that other apps which have “rebranded” are also communicating with servers in China and are under scrutiny.

Also Read: Explained: How big is China’s ongoing credit crunch?

The move to ask Google to remove the application from the Play Store was taken after multiple rounds of analysis by Indian agencies.

“The analysis also showed that this application has malicious code and also acquires a host of critical permissions, which could be misused for compromising user data for surveillance through camera/microphone, location tracking, and malicious network activities,” a senior government official told News18 on the condition of anonymity.

“Such apps are detrimental to sovereignty and integrity of India and can be very dangerous for the Indian security grid. The inputs were shared with us and immediate action was taken without any delay from the government,” an official working in Meity told News18.

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The official order banning BGMI from India is yet to come but the process has already been initiated by Meity asking companies concerned to remove it from app stores like Google Play.

The company will now represent its case and the final decision on a complete ban will come out after that.

Developer Krafton has said it is working to bring the game back. In a recent statement, the company said it is committed to the Indian market and is positive about the opportunities in the country.

“At KRAFTON, the security and privacy of our user data are of utmost importance to us. We have always been compliant with all the laws and regulations in India, including data protection laws and regulations, and will continue abiding by them.”

Also Read: Asia’s richest woman Yang Huiyan loses half her fortune in a year amid China’s real estate crisis

Meanwhile, Google has officially said it has received an official order from the government to remove the game. “On receipt of the order, following the established process, we have notified the affected developer and have blocked access to the app that remained available on Play Store in India,” it said.

REBRANDING WON’T WORK

According to the senior officials responsible for analysing such applications, banned Chinese Apps have rebranded in India but without any server in the country.

“These apps have re-launched in India just like old wine in a new bottle but they didn’t install any server in India. Also, they collect data that can be misused like location, audio, and access to other critical information. BGMI is also a rebranded version of PUBG,” a senior official said. Earlier too, the government banned a few Chinese Apps which were rebranded and launched with new names.

CONSTANT MONITORING

The government, through agencies, keeps a strict eye on Chinese apps and analyses them from time to time.

The government has been constantly banning Chinese apps that allegedly violate various Indian norms. In February this year, 54 additional apps of Chinese origin were banned, highlighting that they pose a “threat to India’s security” as the border tensions continue.

Also Read: Hong Kong students must learn China security law to graduate

Most of these were replicas of apps that were banned by the government post the Galwan Valley clash but had re-branded and re-launched in India quietly.

With the addition of 54 more banned apps, the total reaches around 324, which includes the famous Tik Tok and PUBG (older version) which was forced to collaborate with companies based out of China due to the ban in India.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Govt plans to ban 54 Chinese apps that pose threat to India’s security

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Government is considering to ban 54 Chinese apps that pose threat to India’s national security.

Smartphone applications, which run programs to route user data to China-based servers, facing action also include some previously banned apps that had been re-branded and re-launched.

Apps that are likely to face ban include Sweet Selfie, Tencent Xriver, Viva Video Editor, include Onmyoji Chess, and Dual Space Lite.

In 2020, the government had banned nearly 250 Chinese apps, which included Tiktok, PuBg, WeChat, Shareit, and UC Browser

“The 54 Chinese apps include Beauty Camera: Sweet Selfie HD, Beauty Camera – Selfie Camera, Equalizer & Bass Booster, CamCard for SalesForce Ent, Isoland 2: Ashes of Time Lite, Viva Video Editor, Tencent Xriver, Onmyoji Chess, Onmyoji Arena, AppLock, Dual Space Lite,” ANI tweeted on Monday.

Govt of India to ban 54 Chinese apps that pose a threat to India’s security: Sources

— ANI (@ANI) February 14, 2022

.According to a Bloomberg report, the apps that will enter the banned list include mobile applications belong to tech giants like Tencent, Alibaba and NetEase.

The government’s decision in 2020 to ban Chinese apps came in the backdrop of tension between the two countries spiked over the border dispute.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

China removes 106 apps from app stores citing privacy violations

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has removed 106 apps from Chinese app stores including movie review app Douban, karaoke app Changba, and phone reseller Aihuishou, the regulator announced on Thursday, citing violations of privacy law.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Delhi police bust syndicate run by Chinese nationals; over 5 lakh duped of Rs 150 crore

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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In one of its biggest financial crackdowns, the Delhi Police busted an elaborate money-laundering scam run by Chinese nationals. Eleven people, including 2 CAs, have been arrested for duping over five lakh people by running bogus apps which promised high monetary returns.

Apps like Power Bank, Sun Factory, EZ Plan were run by Chinese nationals using the multi-level marketing (MLM) model. Rs 11 crores have been frozen in banks and Rs 97 lakhs in cash, along with 30 mobile phones recovered so far, the Cyber Preventation Awareness Detection (CyPAD) of Delhi Police said.

#DelhiPolice CyPAD unit #arrest 11, including 2 CAs in big #crackdown on multiple bogus Apps promising high returns e.g. Power Bank, Sun Factory, EZ Plan run by Chinese nationals using #MLM model to cheat over 5Lakh people. ₹11Cr frozen in Banks, ₹97 Lakh cash recovered so far. pic.twitter.com/rO0H0JgfYr

— #DilKiPolice Delhi Police (@DelhiPolice) June 9, 2021

“CyPAD has busted a syndicate run by a group of Chinese nationals. They were stealing data & cheated over 5 lakh Indians of over Rs 150 crores via fake investment apps like PowerBank, SunFactory & EzPlan,” said Anyesh Roy, DCP, Cyber Cell.

“These apps offered lucrative returns on investment with claims to double the investment amount in 24-35 days. They also had schemes promising returns on an hourly and daily basis, and had investment options starting from Rs 300 to several lakhs,” Delhi Police said.

DCP Anyesh Roy said that the cybercrime cell had taken note of various social media posts about the apps Power Bank and EZPlan.

“EZPlan was available on the website www.ezplan.in. The Power Bank app projected itself as a Bengaluru-based Technology Start-Up involved in quick-charging technology, in a bid to deceive people. However, the server on which the app was hosted was found to be based in China,” DCP Roy said.

In order to lure a large number of people to invest more, small payout amounting to 5-10 percent of the invested money was given to them. Once people believed in these ‘schemes’, they began investing more money and also involved their friends and relatives. Once a large amount was invested by someone, the account was blocked, and that lead to severe financial losses, reported the Times of India.

The Chinese masterminds behind this scam used to randomly contact people through apps like WhatsApp and Telegram. They also hired people in West Bengal, NCR, Bengaluru, Odisha, Assam, and Surat to obtain bogus bank accounts, creating shell companies, circulating and promoting the apps, and transferring money.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

US considering adding Alibaba, Tencent to China stock ban: Sources

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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The Trump administration is considering adding Alibaba Group Holding Ltd and Tencent Holdings Ltd to a blacklist of Chinese companies that are allegedly owned or controlled by the Chinese military, two people familiar with the matter told Reuters.

The news was first reported by the Wall Street Journal, which said the plan was still under deliberation and may not go through as agencies debate its impact on markets.

Alibaba and Tencent shares were both down roughly 3 percent in morning trade on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. Alibaba’s US-listed shares closed down just over 5 percent on the news on Wednesday but were roughly flat in after-hours trading.

On Tuesday, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order banning transactions with eight Chinese software applications, including Ant Group’s Alipay mobile payment app, escalating tensions with Beijing two weeks before President-elect Joe Biden takes office.

Alibaba and Tencent did not immediately respond to Reuter’s requests for comment.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Trump orders ban on transactions with 8 Chinese apps including Alipay, WeChat Pay

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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President Donald Trump has signed an executive order banning transactions with eight Chinese apps including Alipay and WeChat Pay. The order goes into effect in 45 days, at which point Joe Biden will be the president, so its fate is unclear.

The orders follow two others Trump signed in August banning dealings with the popular video app TikTok as well as the main WeChat app. The fate of those apps in the US is still unclear, and with just 15 days left until Inauguration Day, it will likely fall to Biden to deal with them or not. The same goes for Tuesday’s executive order.

A representative for Biden’s office did not immediately return a message for comment Tuesday.

Alipay is a widely used digital wallet that is part of the empire of e-commerce billionaire and Ant Group founder Jack Ma, Chinas richest entrepreneur. WeChat Pay is a rival service operated by tech giant Tencent.

Trump’s order cites unspecified concerns about the apps collecting Americans’ personal and financial information and turning it over to Chinas communist government.

The order is the Trump administration’s latest attempt to hobble China, a rising economic superpower. Over the past several years, it has waged a trade war with China, blocked mergers involving Chinese companies and stifled the business of Chinese firms like Huawei, a maker of phones and telecom equipment.

China-backed hackers, meanwhile, have been blamed for data breaches of U.S. federal databases and the credit agency Equifax, and the Chinese government strictly limits what US tech companies can do in China.

Political analysts expect Biden to try to resume cooperation with Beijing on issues such as climate change and the coronavirus. However, economists and political analysts expect few big changes due to widespread frustration with Beijing’s trade and human rights record and accusations of spying and technology theft.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

China demands India rescind app ban amid border tension

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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China on Wednesday demanded India rescind a ban on more Chinese mobile phone apps amid tension between Beijing and other governments over technology and security. A foreign ministry spokesman accused India of violating global free-trade rules and discriminating against Chinese companies.

India announced a ban Tuesday on 43 apps, many of them Chinese. It said they threaten India’s sovereignty and integrity but gave no details. That came on top of earlier bans on Chinese apps including popular video service TikTok. The Indian side should immediately correct this discriminatory practice so as to avoid causing greater damage to the cooperation between the two sides, said the spokesman, Zhao Lijian.

Zhao called on India to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies but gave no indication whether Beijing might retaliate.

The United States and some other governments also have expressed concern about whether Chinese apps might be gathering too much sensitive information about their users. The Trump administration is pressing TikTok’s Chinese owner to sell its US operation.

Chinese-Indian relations are unusually sensitive because soldiers from the two sides are locked in a standoff over control of an area along their border high in the Himalayas.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Trump says safety will be the dominant factor in his TikTok decision

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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President Donald Trump said on Thursday his decision on whether to approve a potential deal involving US companies taking a greater ownership share of Chinese social media app TikTok will hinge primarily on the issue of safety.

”They’re working to see if they can make a deal,” he told reporters, adding that if a deal is made, it will be presented to him. ”I’ll either … approve it or not. To me, safety is the predominant factor.”

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow