There is a list of apps that the Indian government thinks you need to uninstall. On both Android and iOS, the government has found a total of 42 apps, that may be affected by “Chinese spyware”. WeChat, TrueCaller, UC Browser, Mi Community, Mi Store, Mi Video call, BeautyPlus, are among apps in the list.
Reportedly, these apps are sending user’s data back to servers in China, and have the potential to carry out cyber attacks against Indians. Apparently, the agencies have even advised the Indian armed forces to ensure these apps aren’t used by the officers and soldiers, and have been instructed to clean up both their official and personal mobile phones.
“According to reliable inputs, a number of Android/IOS apps developed by Chinese firms or having Chinese links are reportedly either spyware or other malicious ware. Use of these apps by our personnel can be detrimental to…national security,” The Print reported this to be an official order sent to troops on November 24.
The full list of app includes: Weibo, WeChat, SHAREit, Truecaller, UC News, UC Browser, BeautyPlus, NewsDog, VivaVideo- QU Video Inc, Parallel Space, APUS Browser, Perfect Corp, Virus Cleaner (Hi Security Lab), CM Browser, Mi Community, DU recorder, Vault-Hide, YouCam Makeup, Mi Store, CacheClear DU apps studio, DU Battery Saver, DU Cleaner, DU Privacy, 360 Security, DU Browser, Clean Master – Cheetah Mobile, Baidu Translate, Baidu Map, Wonder Camera, ES File Explorer, Photo Wonder, QQ International, QQ Music, QQ Mail, QQ Player, QQ NewsFeed, WeSync, QQ Security Centre, SelfieCity, Mail Master, Mi Video call-Xiaomi, QQ Launcher.
While it isn’t yet specified how the named applications gather intelligence or can be used by Chinese agencies, but the agencies have reportedly passed strict instructions not to “use these apps either in office or on personal mobile phones”. “If some of them are already using any of these apps, then they should be asked to immediately uninstall the app and format their cellphones,” it reads.
In response to the ban, TrueCaller said, “In response to certain reports, we would like to clarify that we are a Sweden based company. We are not sure why the app is on this list, but we’re investigating. Truecaller is not a malware, and all our features are permission based and are disabled by default.”
A similar instance happened in October 2014, when the Indian Air Force asked its personnel and their families not to use Chinese ‘Xiaomi Redmi 1s’ phones as it believed those phones could be transferring data to their servers in China and hence be a security risk.