10th September, 2018 By Ionut Ilascu
Multiple apps developed by Trend Micro are no longer available in the Mac App Store after researchers showed they were collecting browser history and information about users' computers.
On Friday, Apple removed Adware Doctor, a top security app, from its store, on the exact same grounds.
The apps are Dr. Antivirus, Dr. Cleaner, and Dr. Unarchiver, all under the developer account Trend Micro, Incorporated. Until removal, all products were top-sellers, with thousands of positive reviews that averaged their ratings between 4.6 and 4.9.
The first public report of a Trend Micro product in the App Store engaging in shady activities came in late 2017 when user PeterNopSled told Malwarebytes forum members that "that his Mac was taken over by Open Any Files: RAR Support," and it did not let him open Word or Excel files.
He discovered that the app was promoting the Trend Micro Antivirus product in the store, with no apparent connection.
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