Over 15,000 Android Apps Revealed to Leak Sensitive App Developer Data

App developers rarely ever reveal all of the secrets that are hard coded into their apps because of the fact that this is the sort of thing that could potentially end up giving their competitors an edge over them. In spite of the fact that this is the case, recent studies have shown that thousands of Android apps continuously leak sensitive data that developers would want to keep private.

Cybernews recently did some research which studied and analyzed around 30,000 Android Apps. With all of that having been said and now out of the way, it is important to note that over half of these apps are leaking hard coded secrets such as API keys, data from Google Storage as well as database access. Hackers who aren’t all that skilled can easily take advantage of this by obtaining sensitive information that can unveil the inner workings of apps with all things having been considered and taken into account.

Much of this problem can’t be attributed to the apps themselves, but rather the practice of hard coding secrets in the first place. Just under 56% of all of these apps had secrets hard coded into them on the client side, and the lack of adequate cyber security infrastructure on that end makes it incredibly easy for malicious actors to try to break in.

Health and fitness apps turned out to be the worst offenders once all has been said and is now out of the way. Around 8,654 apps in this category were found to possess hard coded secrets, followed closely by education apps 8,161 of which contained secrets that had been hard coded.

Many of these apps don’t have secured databases, so they are essentially giving any malicious actor that can break into these hard coded areas free access to all manner of client data. This is both a reputational risk for the developers as well as a privacy risk for users, so a lot of work would need to be done to change the prevalence of this phenomenon. A few common sense security protocols can make matters a bit better.

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by Zia Muhammad via Digital Information World

Instagram is working on a new plan an event feature

Instagram is one of the most used apps in the world with millions of people tuning in every day to see what is going on in the world. The app was created by developer Kevin Systrom in 2020. The app quickly took off and is currently on its way to replacing Facebook as the most used social media app.

If someone is an Influencer and a situation where people are in need pops up they create an event like a fundraiser or something of the sort and need to plan the event properly. Well, Instagram is working on one such feature that will let creators plan an event through their dashboard.

According to a screenshot posted by the app developer and update leaker Alessandro Paluzzi, when creators will click on the create option (the one with the square and the plus sign in between), they will see a menu that will let users (at the very end) see an option to plan an event. Upon clicking that button users will be directed to a new page with three options Location, date & time, and last but not at all least Guests. They are the most important part of any event.

Because this feature has not been released and is still under development, we don’t know much about this feature's exact functionality, but we do know that this would be coming to our screens pretty soon.

This feature will let users be more organized with their events and will assist them as well. Organization is one of the most essential things for a healthy lifestyle to commence. Being organized means that you would be able to manage both your time and your tasks appropriately and perfectly.

This feature by Instagram is a great way to help users be more organized, and we hope that Instagram keeps coming up with such features in the future as well.

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by Arooj Ahmed via Digital Information World

Google has come up with a new feature that will allow users to save things using bookmarks

Google is the most popular search engine with billions of people using the app every day. While on the app on our mobiles we often want to save a page that we want to come back to later and can’t remember the URL, this is where Google’s new feature comes in.

First, a quick recap is in order, so last year in September Google redesigned the collection tab so that it had a much better user interface and was easier to use. Now Google has taken another step forward and integrated the bookmark option with the search results.

The app has long since been home to the “add to collection” button, but now that has been replaced with the bookmark option.

The app has now brought the bookmark option to the built-in browser to reside alongside the hamburger menu of “about the page” and other actions. Tapping on the button will lead to a small split screen tab opening up with the option to select what folders you want to add the result into. The tab also sports the ability to change the folder the page was added to if the need to do it arises. One thing that should be noted is that the small bookmark marker will stay there even if you search again with a different keyword but with the same results.

The saved items can be viewed through either the collections tab or through the web directly as well. You can make as many collections as you would like and save pages to your heart's fill. You can save not only pages but movies, books, locations, etc.

The ability to save with this feature is still not very out in the world and is only available for a few logged in users according to an article by 9to5G. Once this feature becomes widely rolled out, we will make sure to inform you.

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by Arooj Ahmed via Digital Information World

These Data Stealing Chrome Extensions Were Downloaded Over 1.4 Million Times

Extensions can be useful for most Google Chrome users, but in spite of the fact that this is the case many of them pose rather serious security risks with all things having been considered and taken into account. Researchers at McAfee recently revealed that there are five separate Chrome Extensions that they had detected which track user browsing history without obtaining prior consent.

With all of that having been said and now out of the way, it is important to note that these malicious browser extensions have been downloaded over 1.4 million times in total. Their main purpose is to track when users visit ecommerce websites, and they then alter the cookies from the browser to trick the site into thinking that the users are coming from referral links. The malicious actors who are behind these Chrome extensions then receive a referral fee if the user ends up buying an electronics product.

Around 1.1 million of the 1.4 million downloads went to Netflix Party and Netflix Party 2, both of which are popular extensions that allow users to watch Netflix content with friends remotely. Netflix Party was installed about 800,000 times, whereas Netflix Party 2 received about 300,000 downloads. Coming in third is a screenshotting extension by the name of Full Page Screenshot Capture which received over 200,000 installs. This is followed by price tracking extension FlipShope with 80,000 downloads and AutoBuy Flash Sales with 20,000 downloads.

While these extensions are definitely taking part in suspicious and illicit activities, they are often hard to detect. They fully deliver on the promised features that users are expecting which allows them to fly under the radar because of the fact that this is the sort of thing that could potentially end up keeping users in the dark about anything nefarious that might be going on.

These revelations indicate that users need to be really careful while utilizing browser extensions. Even if they offer the promised functionality, there is always a chance that they’d be performing other malicious tasks just beneath the surface thereby placing users at great risk of losing their data.

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by Zia Muhammad via Digital Information World

Experts call out TikTok mental health videos for being irrational and inaccurate

Mostly, teenagers with no proper qualifications or knowledge about mental health are making videos on TikTok portraying themselves as experts in the subject. These videos are causing more harm than good according to experts.

The Washington Post brings attention to the topic of teenage girls on TikTok between the age range of 14-18 making videos regarding mental health. One of the girls mentioned in the post is Issey Molony, a 17-year-old girl who makes videos about self-diagnosis and relationships between mentally ill people. The best part is that she has no training whatsoever and still holds an enormous number of followers.

This is one of the countless examples of TikTok creators monetizing issues regarding mental health by advertising courses and books. However, there are still genuine experts who make videos correcting such misinformed individuals. Such is the case of Inna Kanevsky who makes shorts calling out and correcting irresponsible claims made by other TikTokers.

The creators argue their videos are simply sharing their own experiences with mental illnesses and how they deal with them. However, there’s no evidence of them even having the illnesses they talk about and how right their advice is. Most of the time, it’s just personal opinions of the creators over factual or helpful information.

Social media culture itself can be quite taxing on the mind as some may find their lives lacking when comparing themselves to Instagram creators. Studies show that social media apps such as Instagram and Facebook cause anxiety in teenagers because they may feel inferior to others about matters of money, attractiveness, or social image. While this problem isn’t found that much on TikTok, there exists a whole new problem of excess depressive content and videos that aren’t based on reality at all.

Patients struggling with mental health issues should consult their doctors instead of social media influencers who are more likely to escalate the problem rather than help fix it. There’re several resources available to you regarding depression and mental illness which is why you shouldn’t take advice from TikTokers of all people.

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by Arooj Ahmed via Digital Information World

Meta Allows Advertisers To Convert Their Ad Payments Into Monthly Installments In India

Meta is really switching things up after the tech giant was recently seen announcing a new feature for advertisers in India.

The company says it will allow advertisers to make their ad payments via free-of-cost monthly installments to enable convenience. These installments will be over a three-month period. This is said to help the social media company better expand its advertising operations across the South East Asian subcontinent.

The decision was announced at the company's yearly business summit. A lot of emphases was put on the new feature that gives advertisers linked to Meta the chance to convert ad payments arising between $40 to $6300 into very equal installments that are paid on a monthly basis.

Advertisers are required to make payments for different campaigns via credit cards from different banks so they can avail the free of cost EMI mode of payments, the company mentioned.

Common banks delineated included the likes of Citibank, Axis Bank, India’s State Bank, and the ICICI Bank. All banks taking part will require users to pay interest on every amount that is transacted.

However, the tech giant revealed how it would be the one bearing expenses related to interest to the bank. Simultaneously, it would be offering a straight-up discount to advertisers related to ad spending.

See, the whole idea is to motivate small firms in the country to come forward and take part. This is especially for those who are feeling the effects of the current economic downturn and hence, are finding it hard to make payments directly during testing times. Therefore, that’s one reason why they’re not taking part in purchasing ads across both Facebook and Instagram apps.

Meta has also declared a new chat support system that will be up for grabs round the clock so any active advertisers in the country may avail themselves when they desire. This is called the Business Help Center.

A spokesperson for Meta in India was seen announcing how the move will make sure advertisers of Meta in India gain access to both financial and ad support services, through the click of a button. This is to help them attain growth and better opportunities.

Meta also highlighted how it realizes that every company’s journey and workings are different. But now, it hopes this new decision can assist in providing focused solutions, keeping users’ needs in mind.

Just last year, the tech giant launched a new program that was designed to provide small and large-scale firms get the best loans. And now, that is also seeing further expansion in the country.

In case you’re wondering why Meta has such a keen interest in India, well, the answer is simple. The tech giant identifies the firm as one of the biggest user markets around the globe. But the same can’t be said about income. Therefore, it’s working hard by India’s side so that even small firms get motivated to expand and better their reach.

Meta says there’s a huge gap in revenue when you look at the North American/European region compared to that seen in the Asia Pacific region. Therefore, it wishes to close or lessen the gap by providing more opportunities.

Read next: Meta’s Dreams Of Turning WhatsApp Into A ‘Super App’ Are Coming True In India
by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World

The most hated and annoying mobile apps in the world

Mobile apps! We can't live without them - or at least that's what it feels like - but sometimes we wish they'd never been invented. How many times have you deleted and reinstalled Twitter or your Tinder profile?

Apps epitomize the double-edge nature of digital innovation in the modern era. We love apps. We hate apps. They make life easier. They create a whole new set of problems. Doom-scrolling much?

But which of the apps really drive us crazy?

ElectronicsHub decided to investigate. Using geotagged Twitter data, it looked at the percentages of negative Twitter mentions and then created several maps and lists of the most hated apps in every county.

Here's a close look at what Electronics Hub found out.

The most hated app in the world

Online game creation platform Roblox is the most hated app in the world, according to the research from Electronics Hub. It racked up the most negative tweets in 21 countries, more than any app in the study.

Common frustrations include a large number of bot accounts and spammers, slow or poor updates, and growing toxicity among long-time community members.

The app that everybody really hates

Roblox is the most hated app when looking at the data on a country-by-country basis.

But when it comes to the actual percentage of all negative tweets from around the world, dating app Hinges comes out on top.

Over one-third (34.4%) of every tweet mentioning Hinge was negative or critical of the app! Not good. No wonder it's been losing thousands of users every month.

So why do so many singletons and romance seekers hate Hinge?

"Tiny user base," tweeted one frustrated user. "Hardly anybody on there, and almost impossible to find someone looking for something serious."

For others, Hinge's biggest problem is the failure to distinguish itself from other dating apps, including those with more of a hook-up vibe.

"Hinge says it attracts quality people, not idiots with no respect," reads one tweet. "Not true. Still receiving d-pics on the regular and ghosting from fools. It's the same as every other d-app. Just rubbish.”

Most hated apps by category

Tinder is the most hated dating app, when breaking the tweets down by location. Twenty-nine countries included in the study swiped left on the OG dating app.

Netflix lost 1million subscribers during the first half of 2022. But it still only came third in the irksome entertainment apps list. Stream took the dubious honor of the most hated entertainment app. Disney+ separates the two.

But how could anyone hate Disney?

Lots of people, apparently. Disney+ had the highest number of 'bad tweets' in 18 countries, including Russia, China, Paraguay, and South Africa. "Not enough original shows,'' tweeted one disgruntled subscriber. "And the selection of movies is poor. You can only watch Star Wars so many times. Not worth the money.”

Facebook Messenger is the social media app causing its users the most grief. It was mentioned in more negative tweets than any other social media app in Australia, Cambodia, India, and 30 other countries; no wonder Zuckerberg realized it was time for a rebrand.

Western Union is the most hated money transfer app in the Twitter sphere. Most criticism stems from Western Union's high transfer fees and commission. "I had to pay $25 to send my money to my family," reads one rage tweet. "They can do this because I had no other option. Disgusting."

New crypto apps pose an existential threat to companies like Western Union. But some will have to up their game before their CEOs can think about usurping legacy payment systems like Western Union.

Mobile payment service Cash App has around 30 million active users. But many are not happy with the service - and they tweet about it. In fact, they made Cash App the most hated payment app on a country-by-country basis - and by quite a long way. Cash App is the most hated app in 29 countries. Second place Block-Fi is hated the most in 'only' 16 countries.

USA's most hated apps

Almost 85% of people living in the USA own a smartphone. So it's a great place to see how modern humans feel about the app they use every day.

And there's more bad news for Facebook Messenger. It's the most hated app in 21 of 50 states. Americans are also falling out of love with Twitter. Twitter is now the most hated app in California, Texas, New York, Florida, and Illinois – the five largest states by population!

Check out a full breakdown of the world's most hated apps in the charts and table below:

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by Irfan Ahmad via Digital Information World