Apple has removed several content blockers or ad-blockers app in the iOS app store on Thursday, Apple has confirmed.
Apple was prompted to remove ad blockers over security concerns that users are at risk of man-in-the-middle attacks through content blockers that relied on root certificates installation to operate, Apple Insider reported. According to iMore, root certificate-based apps do not just block ads but it also intermediates private and secure traffic.
Rene Ritchie of iMore wrote, "I was surprised the root certificate-based ad blocking apps were approved to begin with. They perform deep packet inspection of everything done on the internet, including secure financial transactions and private communications, on the ad-blocker's servers and any servers involved in their chain, and in a way that's not easily toggled on or off."
An Apple spokesperson said, "Apple is deeply committed to protecting customer privacy and security. We've removed a few apps from the App Store that install root certificates which enable the monitoring of customer network data that can in turn be used to compromise SSL/TLS security solutions. We are working closely with these developers to quickly get their apps back on the App Store, while ensuring customer privacy and security is not at risk."
One of the apps that Apple has removed is Been Choice. Its developer, Davin Yoon, said that according to Apple, it is a breach of terms to unpack data stream necessary to block ads from apps such as Facebook, Google and Pinterest. Yoon assured in an email that "No other data from any other app was touched. We were explicit in our app and our website, and in our presentations to the press about what we were doing, and for what purpose, with what special safeguards."
Been Choice submitted an amended version on Friday to comply with Apple's terms. On Twitter, it said, "Our new app with #apple's security concerns addressed has been in review since 1PM PDT. We'll post an update when we have one. Thank you!"
Our new app with #apple's security concerns addressed has been in review since 1PM PDT. We'll post an update when we have one. Thank you!
— Been® Choice (@beenchoice) October 10, 2015
As reported by CNET, Apple's decision to remove content blocker apps came less than a month following the discovery of infected Chinese apps into the App Store, the biggest breach ever. The developers of the said apps were reportedly unaware that they used counterfeit Xcode, a program for making iOS apps.
