The photo filter app makes a big splash on social media, but some digital forensics experts point out some concerning code behavior and permissions.
Why does a photo app need to make phone calls?
You know how each new app you download asks for permission to access certain parts of your phone? You might reasonably expect Meitu, a photo app, to use your camera (so it can take pictures), your phone’s storage (so it can edit pictures stored on your phone) and some internet access as well.
And that’s just the Android version: Jonathan Zdziarski , a security researcher who often digs into apps like this, has discovered some very strange lines of code in the iOS app as well.
According to Zdziarski, the iPhone version of the app is quietly checking to see whether your phone is jailbroken (because that’s not creepy), which cellular carrier you’re using, and is even potentially able to uniquely identify your device using the hardware MAC address of your phone.
Why would it need all that? He speculates that the company is selling your information to companies who’ll target you with advertising.
It’s not remotely unusual for apps to sell data to advertisers, but an app that could be constantly, quietly collecting that data (using code that violates Apple’s rules, according to Zdziarski ) even after you reboot your phone, or put in sleep mode… let’s just say it raises some privacy concerns.
