Author Topic: New Profile Pic scam scare  (Read 1611 times)

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Offline Maik

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New Profile Pic scam scare
« on: Friday, 13 May, 2022 @ 19:51:33 »
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Is Russia after YOUR personal data? Experts warn internet users not to download latest online craze New Profile Pic that hoovers up your details

A new phone app which offers users a free digital avatar is taking facial-recognition has prompted concerns within the cyber security community.

The app is proving incredibly popular online, offering the chance to turn a photograph of users into attractive, highly-stylised cartoon-style images

Tens of thousands of people have already uploaded their photographs to the servers of the New Profile Pic app.

But Jake Moore, Global Cybersecurity Advisor, ESET Internet Security told MailOnline that people have to be incredibly careful when uploading photographs or personal data to a brand new website.

He said: 'This app is likely a way of capturing people's faces in high resolution and I would question any app wanting this amount of data, especially one which is largely unheard of.'

By agreeing to download the app, users are willing to share their location, details about the device they are using as well as other photographs on their social media feeds.

The company's data policy is clear that 'we collect certain personal information that you voluntarily provide to us'.

It continues: 'We collect your name, email address, user name, social network information and other information you provide when you register.'

They also collect data on the user from other companies and combine it with their own dossier.

The firm also collects the IP address, browser type and settings from a computer or the device data from a mobile phone handset.

On Apple's App Store, the App is number one in the photo and video chart, while more than 25,000 have rated it on the Google Play Store.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10802211/NewProfilePic-Warning-issued-viral-app-hoover-data-sends-Moscow.html


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Is ‘New Profile Pic’ App a Russian Malware Scam?
There's little evidence to suggest that this app is any more invasive in its collection of user data than other apps.

In sum, the claim that this app is unusually invasive is untrue. Its requested app permissions are similar to other mainstream apps. The claim that this app is stealing data for the Kremlin is also unsupported by evidence. Lastly, the claim that users of this app had money taken out of their bank accounts is, so far, unsubstantiated.

While this app requests permission to access certain data on your phone, these requests aren’t unusual.

It is also worth reiterating that this app didn’t come from a new company, and New Profile Pic isn’t their first app. ToonMe and PhotoLab, two of the developer’s other apps, have more than 150 million installs on Google Play. Both of those apps have been around for years, and we are unaware of any reports that they have been used to steal money from people’s bank accounts, or to give users’ data to the Kremlin.
https://www.snopes.com/news/2022/05/11/new-profile-pic-app/

So this doesn't appear to be any more dangerous than thousands of other apps on Apple App Store or Google Play Store.

Put another way, there are thousands of apps on Apple App Store and Google Play Store just as dangerous as this. Have a care what you install on your fondleslab.