Google Play removes Sky's Android apps (Update)
Posted by: Jon on 05/26/2013 07:34 PM
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*Update* A Sky spokesperson has provided The Verge with the following statement: "Sky Android apps previously downloaded by Sky customers are unaffected and there is no need to remove them from an Android device." Sky will continue to investigate the situation, and will advise when more information is at hand.
The Syrian Electronic Army are busy little beavers it seems, and now the group appears to have compromised the British Sky Broadcasting Groups Android apps, which include Sky Go, Sky+, Sky Wi-Fi, and Sky News.
The group, considered by researchers at HP as one of the most skilled hacking teams in the world, has taken responsibility for compromising social media accounts for CBS, NPR, the BBC, the Financial Times, and several other major news and media outlets. That's not to say the SEA's actions are harmless; in April, the group hacked the Associated Press' Twitter account, spreading a false claim that explosions at the White House had injured President Barack Obama.
The group is also responsible for attempting to hack Haifa, Israel’s water supply two weeks ago, according to the Times of Israel. Professor Yitzhak Ben Yisrael, a reservist brigadier general who heads the Science Ministry’s National Council for Research and Development, said the Syrian Electronic Army’s hackers launched an unsuccessful cyberattack on the northern city’s water infrastructure.
The Desk verified that all screenshots, like the one above, in the app have been replaced with images by the hacking group.
At this time it is still unknown how the group was able to sabotage apps within the Google Play store, however it is entirely possible that the SEA was able to get someone at Sky into giving them access to the developer account that publishes the Sky Apps on the Play Store, allowing them access to change descriptions, but as stated above these guys are very skilled, so the access information could have been gathered anywhere.
The Syrian Electronic Army are busy little beavers it seems, and now the group appears to have compromised the British Sky Broadcasting Groups Android apps, which include Sky Go, Sky+, Sky Wi-Fi, and Sky News.
The group, considered by researchers at HP as one of the most skilled hacking teams in the world, has taken responsibility for compromising social media accounts for CBS, NPR, the BBC, the Financial Times, and several other major news and media outlets. That's not to say the SEA's actions are harmless; in April, the group hacked the Associated Press' Twitter account, spreading a false claim that explosions at the White House had injured President Barack Obama.
The group is also responsible for attempting to hack Haifa, Israel’s water supply two weeks ago, according to the Times of Israel. Professor Yitzhak Ben Yisrael, a reservist brigadier general who heads the Science Ministry’s National Council for Research and Development, said the Syrian Electronic Army’s hackers launched an unsuccessful cyberattack on the northern city’s water infrastructure.
The Desk verified that all screenshots, like the one above, in the app have been replaced with images by the hacking group.
At this time it is still unknown how the group was able to sabotage apps within the Google Play store, however it is entirely possible that the SEA was able to get someone at Sky into giving them access to the developer account that publishes the Sky Apps on the Play Store, allowing them access to change descriptions, but as stated above these guys are very skilled, so the access information could have been gathered anywhere.
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