Privacy 1st reached out to a Mac security researcher, Patrick Wardle, who did further investigation of his own. Last Friday, a few Mac security researchers independently published their findings regarding a number of Mac App Store apps that employ questionable tactics, violate Apple’s guidelines, and spy on victims’ computer activity.Ī Twitter user going by the name “Privacy 1st” ( recently found some suspicious behavior in a popular App Store app, called Adware Doctor (full App Store title: “ Adware Doctor:Anti Malware &Ad“) and began tweeting about it. So then, just how safe is the Mac App Store? And what should Mac users do? Multiple Independent Sources Find Privacy-Violating Apps Many apps have recently been caught doing unscrupulous things, circumventing protections supposedly provided by the App Store, and invading users’ privacy. Lo and behold, new information has come to light that calls into question the safety of the App Store platform. Together, Apple’s app review process and sandboxing theoretically make the App Store a more trustworthy software source than most. Security professionals often advise users that Apple’s Mac App Store is one of the safest places to download apps.Īfter all, Apple has a review process that’s supposed to help prevent potentially harmful apps from ever being published. Additionally, App Store apps are sandboxed, which is supposed to limit apps’ ability to engage in undesirable behavior. Recommended + Security & Privacy + Software & Apps How safe is the Mac App Store? Privacy-violating apps uncovered

Appstore adware cleaner mac