Indian intelligence agencies ask government to block 52 mobile apps linked to China over security concerns

Intelligence agencies in India have urged the Centre to block or advice people to refrain from use of 52 mobile applications connected to China over concerns that this were not safe and ended up pulling out a huge amount of data outside the country.

The list sent by the security agencies to the government includes video conferencing app Zoom. TikTok and other apps like UC browser, SHAREit, Clean-master etc.

According to a senior government official, the recommendation of the intelligence had latterly been supported by the National Security Council Secratariat, which sensed these could be harmful for the nation’s security.

“The discussions on the recommendations are continuing,” said an official, elucidating that the parameters and the risks attached to each app will have to be looked into one by one.

 list of intelligence agencies:

* TikTok, Vault-Hide, Vigo Video, Bigo Live, Weibo

* WeChat, SHAREit, UC News, UC Browser

* BeautyPlus, Xender, ClubFactory, Helo, LIKE

* Kwai, ROMWE, SHEIN, NewsCanine, Photo Wonder

* APUS Browser, VivaVideo- QU Video Inc

* Perfect Corp, CM Browser, Virus Cleaner (Hi Security Lab)

* Mi Community, DU recorder, YouCam Makeup

* Mi Store, 360 Security, DU Battery Saver, DU Browser

* DU Cleaner, DU Privacy, Clean Master – Cheetah

* CacheClear DU apps studio, Baidu Translate, Baidu Map

* Wonder Camera, ES File Explorer, QQ International

* QQ Launcher, QQ Security Centre, QQ Player, QQ Music

* QQ Mail, QQ NewsFeed, WeSync, SelfieCity, Clash of Kings

* Mail Master, Mi Video call-Xiaomi, Parallel Space

In April 2020, the Ministry of Home Affairs had put out an advisory on use of Zoom on the advice of the Computer Emergency Response Team of India (CERT-in). India was the first nation to impose limits on the use of Zoom within the government.

Taiwan has also barred government agencies from using Zoom, the German Foreign Ministry regulates its use of Zoom to emergency situations on personal computers while the United States Senate asks members to use different platforms. In response, the company insisted that it was serious about user security.

There have been pleas for action against mobile apps that are considered to be jeopardising security time and again. And companies like TikTok owned and operated by Chinese internet company have rebuttal the claims.

However, according to officials there were inputs that several Android and ISO aaps, either developed by Chinese developers or launched by firms with Chinese connection, had the potential to be used as spyware. There have been reports that security agencies had urged security personnel to refrain from using them citing the “detrimental impact that this could have on data security.

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