Apple takes down Trend Micro Mac apps that collected, stored user data

Enlarge (credit: Andrew Cunningham)

Apple removed several anti-malware apps from its Mac App Store after the apps were found to export users' browser histories. All of the apps in question are made by the cyber-security company Trend Micro, which initially denied the allegations but has since issued an apology to its users.

"Reports that Trend Micro is 'stealing user data' and sending it to an unidentified server in China are absolutely false," the initial statement says.

The statement also details what Trend Micro found in its investigation: the company claims that some of its apps, including Dr. Cleaner, Dr. Antivirus, and Dr. Unarchiver, uploaded a "small snapshot" of users' browser histories that covered the 24 hours before installation. The company claims this was done for "security purposes," particularly to see if users had recently come into contact with adware or other threats. The collected user data was uploaded to a US-based server hosted by Amazon Web Services and managed by Trend Micro.

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