Trend Micro also pointed out that their data collection was “explicitly disclosed” in the relevant end-user license agreements. “This was a one-time data collection, done for security purposes (to analyze whether a user had recently encountered adware or other threats, and thus to improve the product & service).” Battery, and Duplicate Finder collected and uploaded a small snapshot of the browser history on a one-time basis, covering the 24 hours prior to installation,” they wrote. “The results confirm that Dr Cleaner, Dr Cleaner Pro, Dr. Instead, they assert that an “initial investigation” found that they had only been taking “snapshots” of users’ browser histories, supposedly to circumvent any adware attacks. In a September 10 blog post, Trend Micro denied stealing user data, calling the accusation “absolutely false,” but provided no explanation as to why their apps had been deleted from the App Store. Now, only two of their apps are still available to download in the store: Network Scanner and Dr. Prior to their removal, Trend Micro’s apps all held four-star ratings with thousands of reviews.

In a separate case, another app called Adware Doctor was also removed from the App Store for the same reasons. Unarchiver, which allows users to “browse and open files directly from archives.” Antivirus, “an app that ensures your privacy and the security of your financial information while you are using your Mac.” Cleaner, an app that offers “memory optimization, disk cleaning and system monitoring.” The Trend Micro apps removed from the store include: It was discovered that Trend Micro had been using hardcoded strings to extract browser history and identification information, like the user’s operating system and serial number, which was then exported to a server in China. This is a breach of the App Store’s developer policy, which requires apps to obtain user consent before collecting any personal data. The security firm, Trend Micro, Inc., has had several of their anti-malware apps removed from the Mac App Store after they were found to be sending users’ browser history data, which included passwords, to a remote server.

Who could’ve predicted that a security firm would sneakily pilfer your data as well? We already know that Cambridge Analytics violated the privacy of millions of Facebook users and that Google tracks your movements even when you tell it not to. If there’s one thing we’ve learned this year, it’s the importance of being careful with who gets your data.

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