APK Pure Distributed Malware

[angry_dodo]

Here is a list of compromised apps:

Hackers Tampered With APKPure Store to Distribute Malware Apps

[robbert.f]

Perhaps this can serve as a teachable moment: please do not use these kinds of APK-serving websites, hackers or no. The ownership of websites like APKMirror or APKPure is often unclear and there is no assurance of quality control.

When downloading software, only use trusted repositories. An app that comes to mind is F-Droid; it uses its own repository which is maintained by a team of privacy-conscious developers. Other safe repositories are available, as can be seen on F-Droid’s wiki.

The proprietary repositories that Google uses for its Google Play package manager can’t exactly be described as reliable because they are completely opaque - no one knows what’s going on behind the scenes. In practice, one can be fairly sure that the software downloaded from it has been vetted by the devs at Google, who are paid to ensure the absence of what they classify as malware. It’s not a transparent process, but it’s better than downloading random packages from random websites.

Here’s a simile: F-Droid, the libre option, is like buying fresh ingredients and cooking your own food - you know precisely what you’re getting. Google Play is like going to a fast food restaurant - you don’t get to see what’s going on in the kitchen and you know that the food won’t necessarily be healthy, but you trust them to cook you a meal that won’t make you sick. Downloading apps off shady websites is like eating out of a rubbish bin in a park: most of the time you’ll live, but you’ll never know what you’re eating and every now and again you’ll get food poisoning.

[anon9989719]

I’ve been using apkpure for at least six years with no problems. Oops! maybe I shouldn’t speak too soon

[jkepler]

Great analogy. I’ll have to remember that one next time someone seems shocked I use f-droid and refuse to install Google’s Play store on my phone or use proprietary apps.

[anon9989719]

I’ve been vegan for 47 years and before I could cultivate my own I did a lot of picking wild fruit and throw-outs from markets, oh! and definitely a little scrounging around the bins. Still alive and kicking and no vaccinations

Caveat :: This is not advice or encouragement to be vegan or do anything weird, but if you are already that way inclined, you are not alone.