Synopsis: Today, Apple removed 256 apps from the App Store because they violated Apple's privacy policy. Most of the apps were made in China. The developers of the apps used the service from Youmi to put ads in their apps. The software was able to collect information from users, including their email addresses and iPhone serial numbers. They hid this ability from the App store gatekeepers by the way they built the software. SourceDNA alerted Apple about the issue on Sunday, and they had the apps removed on Monday. This data collection wasn't known to the app developers because Youmi was able to disguise that they were sending the users' personal information to their servers. Apple has stated that they are working with the developers to help them update their apps before they appear in the store again. This is the third time the Apple store has suffered a breach in the past month.
Analysis: It's fantastic that the problem was resolved this quickly by Apple after they heard about this breach. It's terrible that hackers breach the app store this often. As it gets larger, there is more room for that kind of thing. Ever since the beginning of the internet, hackers have been a threat to personal, corporate, national, and universal information. It can now be much easier for information to end up in the wrong hands with a few clicks.
Source: http://money.cnn.com/2015/10/19/technology/apple-app-store/index.html
Internet security has become more and more problematic, and recently, I think companies are finally stepping up and doing something about it. It is incredibly important that personal information is safe, and protecting it should become a top priority for everyone.
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