Questions have been raised about an Android wallpaper application that is collecting personal data and sending it to a site,
www.imnet.com, in Shenzen, China. It's unclear why the data is being collected or what use might be made of it.
The app Wallpaper, which originated from developer Jackeey, was uploaded to the Android Market, where it's been downloaded by millions of users. While the app asks users for permission to access their phone calls, it fails to warn them that it is collecting personal data such as the phone's SIM card number and subscriber identification.
The discovery of the app is due to the
App Genome Project from
Lookout, a company which handles mobile security. The project has discovered that many apps access personal data. Given that almost half of Android applications rely on third party code, this raises questions as to whether the Android Market should be policed more carefully. The App Genome Project has discovered a number of questionable applications, including one that makes calls to Somalia of its own accord, racking up substantial phone bills for unwary users.
