If you’ve downloaded certain apps from iTunes, you may find that you’re receiving ads from certain companies who partner with the app developers. But now Apple says some apps in their iTunes store were doing more than connecting with advertisers.
Instead, more than 250 apps from a Chinese company were collecting personal information, according to a CNN report. Like many apps, the creators put ads in their products, but perhaps unintentionally also added tracking software.
It turns out the when app creators used the development software from the Chinese firm Youmi, apps would be programmed to send personal data, including email addresses and iPhone serial numbers, back to Youmi’s offices. Such a practice is strictly forbidden under Apple’s privacy policies.
In response to the finding, Apple removed 250 plus apps from the iTunes store on Monday. The apps have collectively been downloaded already more than one million times.
Apple says that the apps will still work, but will not be updated.
App developers likely did not know about the security issues, since Youmi’s software disguised the tracking aspects of its toolkit. Apple says it will work with developers to get their products fixed and returned to iTunes.
This is just the latest security issues Apple has had with iTunes apps. Just last week, Apple banned other apps that could unknowingly access users’ servers, and last month, the company banned dozens of other apps that had been infected with malware.