Yesterday, we blogged a story about a porn app in the Apple iTunes Store, and noted that it was a pretty crappy app. Well, it’s not even an app anymore. Apple yanked it, claiming that “the developer of this application added inappropriate content directly from their server after the application had been approved and distributed, and after the developer had subsequently been asked to remove some offensive content.” But whether or not the early adopters will get a refund isn’t the real issue.
Here’s the scary part, according to Wired:
Prohibited content such as porn and dirty words are only a minor concern compared to the idea of a developer updating his approved app to later include malicious code. Jonathan Zdziarski, author of the book iPhone Forensics: Recovering Evidence, Personal Data, and Corporate Assets, explained to Wired.com that the iPhone’s API is mostly secure. But a few areas where users’ privacy can be violated include audio, the camera and the address book.
For example, a malicious audio app could potentially allow a developer to record a user’s conversations without him or her knowing. And a harmful photo app could snap photos with a user’s camera even when the user is not pressing the shutter button. Third, a malicious app can steal your address book contacts.
Right now, the only reason I’m not really concerned about the first two is that I don’t actually talk much on the phone and anyone using my camera to take pics unaware is likely either to get the top of my desk or the inside of my pocket. The third is worrisome, and I hope Apple’s keeping an eye out for this sort of thing.
