In cursory: The convenience of sharing files between all of your devices may come with some unwanted security risks, especially if you're using one of the pop apps in the Google Play Store to do so. ShareIt, in particular, was found to have many flaws that can hands be exploited to steal your data or install unwanted apps on your Android device.

Android malware is nothing new for fans of Google's mobile operating system, just a fix of newly discovered vulnerabilities in a popular app called ShareIt is but as worrisome. According to a Trend Micro written report, the flaws tin can be driveling to extract a user's sensitive information as well every bit execute arbitrary code using the app's permissions.

For those of you who don't know, Lenovo originally developed ShareIt as a way for users to hands share files betwixt Internet-continued devices. Currently, it's being developed by Smart Media 4U Engineering, a software company based in Singapore. According to App Annie, it has over ane.8 billion downloads worldwide across multiple operating systems, with one billion on the Play Store alone.

Security researchers noted that one of the flaws stems from the way the app facilitates the file transfer functionality, by using Android's FileProvider component. Furthermore, the app requests admission to the entire storage too as unrelated things like the photographic camera, microphone, and your device'southward location.

On pinnacle of that, ShareIt has discoverable deep links using URLs that lead to sure functionality like downloading and installing APK files, creating accounts, and setting passwords, which tin easily be exploited by a malicious player for remote code execution. The app besides doesn't forcefulness traffic through HTTPS, which opens information technology up to even more than attack methods.

Trend Micro reported the vulnerabilities to the developers of the app, but has received no response after iii months. The researchers too recommend users uninstall the app, but you tin also utilise Google's own file manager app to achieve virtually the same file-sharing functionality if your devices are all continued to the same Wi-Fi network.