Smartphone under threat: Yandex spied on users and sent data to Russia

The Russian company Yandex has implemented a code in applications for mobile devices on iOS and Android that allows you to send information about users to servers in the Russian Federation. And Nokia helped set up a spy system in Russia.

Interestingly, Yandex acknowledged that its software collects information, but the company noted that it is theoretically possible to track users, but in practice it is extremely difficult to do so. So we believed…

How Yandex distributes spyware

Yandex has programming code in the form of a software development kit or SDK called AppMetrica. Many of these are offered “for free” in exchange for access to user data that helps target ads.

SDK are the building blocks used by developers to create applications. For example, the Google Maps SDK allows applications to embed mapping functionality rather than building it from scratch.

: Israel refused to transfer spyware to Ukraine, fearing Russia’s revenge

The total number of app installations that include the AppMetrica SDK is in the hundreds of millions. Interestingly, among them there are seven VPN applications designed specifically for the Ukrainian audience.

By the way, some app developers started removing AppMetrica from their apps after Russia invaded Ukraine. Conversely, more than 2,000 apps have added the AppMetrica SDK since the Ukraine invasion, including several apps designed to track Ukrainian users.

For example, Call Ukraine is a free messenger for Ukrainians launched in the Play Store on March 10 with a blue and yellow flag as an icon. Once downloaded, the app can see the user’s identity and read their contacts. The developer provided a fictitious email address, according to arstechnica.com.