Viruses, spyware found in 'alarming' number of Android VPN apps

[Nomen Nescio]

In article

A team from CSIRO's Data 61, University of NSW and UC Berkley in the
US found a whole bunch of Android VPN apps contain viruses, spyware
and other adware.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-01-25/viruses-spyware-found-in-alarming
-number-of-android-vpn-apps/8210796

if you could download the .apk files and scan them on a linux or
windows platform, those issues would be come apparent. but no,
google has to prevent you from being able to examine them for
malware by forcing the install from their crappy store. by the
time a user figures out they have been screwed over, it's too
late and time to reset the phone.

[Cornelis Tromp]

Post by Nomen Nescio
In article

A team from CSIRO's Data 61, University of NSW and UC Berkley in the
US found a whole bunch of Android VPN apps contain viruses, spyware
and other adware.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-01-25/viruses-spyware-found-in-alarming
-number-of-android-vpn-apps/8210796

if you could download the .apk files and scan them on a linux or
windows platform, those issues would be come apparent. but no,
google has to prevent you from being able to examine them for
malware by forcing the install from their crappy store. by the
time a user figures out they have been screwed over, it's too
late and time to reset the phone.

I use the NetGuard firewall. It is free and for only a $1 extra, it stops the adverts (which are no problem because you only see them when the firewall interface is in view). The firewall list all apps that use a data or wifi connection and allows you to block them. I have every app blocked, including google spy crap. When I need to install an app, I release google for the installation period only. So with NetGuard, apps that unnecessarily demand and require wifi or data connection are no problem because I simply disallow them from getting out of the phone.

[Jeremy Bentham]

In article

Post by Cornelis Tromp

Post by Nomen Nescio
In article

A team from CSIRO's Data 61, University of NSW and UC Berkley in the
US found a whole bunch of Android VPN apps contain viruses, spyware
and other adware.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-01-25/viruses-spyware-found-in-alarming
-number-of-android-vpn-apps/8210796

if you could download the .apk files and scan them on a linux or
windows platform, those issues would be come apparent. but no,
google has to prevent you from being able to examine them for
malware by forcing the install from their crappy store. by the
time a user figures out they have been screwed over, it's too
late and time to reset the phone.

I use the NetGuard firewall. It is free and for only a $1 extra, it stops the adverts (which are no problem because you only see them when the firewall interface is in view). The firewall list all apps that use a data or wifi connection and allows you to block them. I have every app blocked, including google spy crap. When I need to install an app, I release google for the installation period only. So with NetGuard, apps that unnecessarily demand and require wifi or data connection are no problem because I simply disallow them from getting out of the phone.

That means they eat up cpu cycle time and kill your battery
faster.