Android is good but it is too expose to Malware. In as much as you love to explore your device, tweak it and try various keyboards app, this particular keyboard called Flash keyboard already have more than 50 Million installs but, it is a malware.
Flash Keyboard was found by a UK-based cyber-security firm, Pentest to be asking for “excessive permissions”, displaying infected ads, asking for admin privileges in order to make uninstall more difficult, tracking user behavior, and then sending data to servers in China without the user’s permission. In other words the Flash Keyboard app was spying on Android smartphone users and security experts have already classified the app as “malware.”
Pentest found that the app requires unwanted access to a phone’s Bluetoothconnection, geo-location feature, or Wi-Fi status which a normal keyboard app would not require. In addition, the app would ask for access to kill background processes, read SMS messages, show system overlays, or remove download notifications. Pentest says there are no reasons for a keyboard app to require these intrusive permissions.
Flash Keyboard was asking for device admin permissions, and was using these powers to take over the smartphone’s lock screen and show ads even if users opted out.
To make matter worst, Flash Keyboard secretly transfers data to secret servers situated in China and other foreign countries. The app transmitted sensitive user data including the owner’s email address, device manufacturer, model number, IMEI and Android version to what it believes to be analytics servers in the US, Netherlands and China.
It also sends details of the currently connected Wi-Fi network and others in the proximity, the identity of the mobile network being used and GPS coordinates that are accurate to within three meters of the user.
Do not install this app if you have it in your phone already, turnoff your data connection and uninstall it.
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