Reported by Cyber Insider. Security researchers have uncovered that applications and browser extensions from the Lithuanian publisher Appsalt are routing internet traffic through user devices without clear consent.
An investigation by Spur Intelligence revealed that Appsalt, operated by Beellet UAB, utilizes a software development kit to turn consumer devices into residential proxies. This process allows third parties to route web traffic through a user’s internet connection. Researchers identified that the Cinema HQ streaming app continues to run proxy components even when users attempt to disable the feature. Furthermore, earlier versions of Appsalt’s Chrome extensions were found to harvest sensitive data, including browsing history, Google search results and ChatGPT conversations. The firm also embedded proxy code into 12 iPhone games, using silent audio files to maintain background activity, which violates Apple store guidelines. Similar proxy functionality was discovered in desktop games on Steam. The SDK has been linked to the Honeygain proxy network, a subsidiary of Oxylabs. While Oxylabs claims to audit partners for consent breaches, the scale of the operation remains significant. Users are advised to uninstall suspicious applications and check system startup settings to ensure their bandwidth is not being exploited for unauthorized proxy traffic.
Source: Cyber Insider
