Google has removed Android apps that were secretly sending user data to a Chinese server.
The apps, which claimed to help you manage and recover your files on your phone or tablet, could launch without you activating them, and send personal information to the app’s developers.
French security firm Pradeo discovered the apps, called File Manager and ‘File Recovery and Data Recovery’ (pictured above right). The former installs as ‘com.spot.music.filedate’ on your device. The latter is ‘com.file.box. master.gk’.
Data stolen by the apps included your contact list and your location, as well as any photos and videos they managed to recover. The apps’ listing on the Play Store falsely claimed that no data was collected. It added that even if any data was collected, you couldn’t ask for it to…