Cybersecurity, “one of the most popular apps in China can spy on its users”
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It’s one of the most popular shopping apps in China, selling clothing, groceries, and just about anything else to over 750 million users a month. But according to some experts, it can also bypass users’ smartphone security systems to monitor activities on other apps, check notifications, read private messages and change settings. And once installed, it’s hard to remove.
While many apps harvest massive amounts of user data, sometimes without explicit consent, experts say e-commerce giant Pinduoduo has reportedly taken privacy and data security breaches to the next level. This was reported by CNN, which spoke to half a dozen cybersecurity teams from Asia, Europe and the United States, as well as numerous former and current employees of Pinduoduo, after receiving a tip.
Malware on Pinduoduo
Several experts identified the presence of malware on the Pinduoduo app that exploited vulnerabilities in Android operating systems. Insiders at the company said all of this was used to spy on users and competitors, presumably to boost sales. which it should not access,” said Mikko Hyppönen, chief research officer of WithSecure, a Finnish information security company, quoted by CNN.
The story of this sophisticated malware in the Pinduoduo app comes after close scrutiny of apps developed in China (such as TikTok) for data security concerns.
Some US lawmakers are pushing for a nationwide ban on the popular short-video app, whose CEO Shou Chew was questioned by Congress for five hours last week about his dealings with the Chinese government.
The revelations are also likely to draw more attention to Pinduoduo’s international sister app Temu, which is topping download charts in the US and expanding rapidly into other Western markets. Both are owned by Nasdaq-listed PDD, a multinational with roots in China.
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