After ending 2019 with bad news of being banned on Google Play, Ethereum crypto wallet and dApp platform, MetaMask, managed to make a comeback on January 1st, 2020.
Google Reverses Decision
The Ethereum ecosystem saw a small setback in the last week of 2019 after Google decided to ban the Android client of MetaMask from its Play Store. The Ethereum wallet and dApp platform announced the news exactly a week ago, on Twitter.
In the last week, the MetaMask Android client was suspended by the Google Play App Store @googleplaydev. They cited their policy that bans mining on mobile, which we don't. Appeal rejected. #ProtectWeb3.https://t.co/rfP4EbOAqv!?zippy_activeEl=cryptocurrencies%23cryptocurrencies
— MetaMask (@metamask_io) December 26, 2019
According to Bitcoinist report, Google felt like MetaMask violated the tech Giant’s financial services policy, which MetaMask denied. However, it might be that the entire incident was a simple misunderstanding, as MetaMask announced its return on January 1st, 2020.
Happy New Year! Upon careful consideration, Google has permitted The MetaMask mobile app back on the Google Play (Android) store! Thanks to all the believers in an open web for speaking out in our support! https://t.co/Z8KOCtvHq0
— MetaMask (@metamask_io) January 1, 2020
In its new announcement, the crypto wallet stated that Google has permitted MetaMask mobile app back on Google Play, supposedly after careful consideration. MetaMask also thanked its community for their support, stating that the dApp is now back on the app store.
However, thanks to all of the users’ suggestions for alternate distribution methods, MetaMask is now also more resilient. In other words, the community became stronger for enduring the incident, regardless of the fact that it may have been a simple error.
Silent crypto crackdown underway
The entire incident has been quite confusing to a lot of users from the start. As mentioned, Google banned MetaMask because it believed that the dApp allowed users to mine cryptocurrencies via mobile, which is, of course, not true.
On the other hand, it seems that Google was quick to believe the false fact and ban the Android client without checking as part of its recent crackdown on digital currencies. As many knows, Google has banned crypto advertising a long time ago, and the effects have started to spread.
The last few weeks of 2019 saw Google subsidiary, YouTube, also start its own crypto crackdown, where the world’s biggest video platform started removing crypto content without warning. Crypto-related videos were suddenly removed, while numerous of crypto content creators were banned from the platform.
The company later claimed that it was all an error, but with all of these ‘errors’ happening simultaneously, many have started to wonder whether Google has a crypto problem. The YouTube incident, which has come to be known as the Christmas Eve Purge, was supposedly reversed a few days later. But, just as the crypto community started to enjoy its small victory, the ban of MetaMask was announced.
It is also worth noting that Google is apparently in the business of suppressing crypto websites on Google News, which also hurt the crypto industry as it makes certain information less accessible to the community. What’s worse, is it would appear that Google’s anti-crypto movement is starting to spread to other tech giants, such as Apple.
According to one announcement by Coinbase Wallet App, it became another wallet that had to remove the dApp browser functionality in order to comply with the App store policy. The crypto fight will continue in 2020, but right now, it seems as if the major tech firms are turning against the digital currency and blockchain industry, right at the time when everyone thought they could relax and enjoy the holidays.
What do you think about the newest crypto crackdown? Share your thoughts about these incidents in the comments below.
Image via Shutterstock, Twitter @metamask_io The post appeared first on Bitcoinist.com. origin »
В магазине приложений Google Play вновь появился Ethereum-кошелек MetaMask. Его создатели сообщили, что Google принял решение после тщательных раздумий. Happy New Year! Upon careful consideration, Google has permitted The MetaMask mobile app back on the Google Play (Android) store! Thanks to all the believers in an open web for speaking out in our support! https://t.co/Z8KOCtvHq0 […]
В магазине приложений Google Play вновь появился Ethereum-кошелек MetaMask. Его создатели сообщили, что Google принял решение после тщательных раздумий. Happy New Year! Upon careful consideration, Google has permitted The MetaMask mobile app back on the Google Play (Android) store! Thanks to all the believers in an open web for speaking out in our support! https://t.co/Z8KOCtvHq0 […]
Официальный магазин приложений для Android от Google, удалил популярный Ethereum-клиент - приложение Metamask - сославшись на запрет продвижения вредных финансовых продуктов и услуг.
The MetaMask app has been suspended from the Google Play Store. Citing concerns that the app mined on user devices, this is the second time this week that Google censors cryptocurrency ecosystems hosted on its platforms.
The MetaMask Ethereum wallet, one of the key entry points to crypto-based logins and distributed apps, has been suspended from the Google Apps Store. The reason cited was that MetaMask allowed phone-based mining, which the wallet provider denied.
Google исключил Ethereum-браузер MetaMask из своего магазина приложений Google Play для устройств на базе Android, сообщили разработчики. In the last week, the MetaMask Android client was suspended by the Google Play App Store @googleplaydev.
Провайдер Ethereum-кошелька MetaMask сообщил, что Google Play на прошлой неделе приостановил работу его приложения для Android. In the last week, the MetaMask Android client was suspended by the Google Play App Store @googleplaydev.
В сети начало распространяться вредоносное ПО, ворующее криптовалюту, сообщает информационной портал Cryptoinfowatch. Программа маскируется под приложение MetaMask на Android, она появилась в магазине приложений Google Play.
The application layer of cryptocurrencies is seen as a prime area of interest by many proponents of the space and companies in the field. One major application sector that cryptocurrencies have successfully penetrated is web browsers, with many famous players jumping on the digital assets bandwagon.
The Google Play store pulled out app that runs on the Android OS after it was discovered to be clandestinely stealing bitcoin from unsuspecting users, Forbes reported on February 11, 2019. Removal Job The number of scams involving cryptocurrencies doesn’t seem to be dwindling despite the bear market, causing thousands of users to lose notRead MoreRead More.
A new form of cryptocurrency-stealing malware has been identified in the Google Play store. Dubbed ‘clipper’ malware, it was discovered inside an app impersonating MetaMask—a full browser extension which allows Ethereum-based apps to run on a browser without running a full Ethereum node.
Эксперт антивирусной компании Eset Лукас Стефанко (Lukas Stefanko) обнаружил в магазине приложений Google Play вредоносное программное обеспечение, которые выдавало себя за криптовалютный кошелек. Лукас классифицировал свою находку как вирус-клиппер (от Clipboard — буфер обмена в Windows).
Malware researcher and cybersecurity expert, Lukas Stefanko just discovered something concerning in the Google Play store. Stefanko, who specializes in Android security found a MetaMask imposter that is designed to steal passwords or security phrases.
В приложении в Google Play Store впервые была обнаружена форма вредоносного ПО, заменяющая адреса кошелька криптовалюты жертвы, находящиеся в буфере обмена пользователей MetaMask.
Приложение уже удалено из онлайн-магазина, но это не значит, что остальным криптовалютным продуктам в Google Play можно доверять. Администраторы Google Play обнаружили еще одно вредоносное приложение, предназначенное для кражи криптовалюты у пользователей.
Google, at the start of the month, removed yet another malware app used by hackers to steal cryptocurrencies. Experts at IT security firm, Eset tipped off the company to the presence of a fake MetaMask app on the Google Play Store.
Специалисты компании кибербезопасности Eset обнаружили в магазине Android-приложений Google Play Store поддельное мобильное приложение MetaMask. После предупреждения компании оно было удалено, сообщила Eset.
ESET нашла в Google Play приложение-клиппер, которое подменяет данные в буфере обмена. Программу замаскировали под MetaMask, который используется для хранения и управления криптовалютой. ПО обнаружил специалист по безопасности ESET Лукас Стефанко.
If you were to place a bet on what stories would be included in Moonday Mornings each week, what would you say? A dodgy cryptocurrency stealing app? A lawsuit? Maybe some new research that kills some hype? Or maybe even some news of government organizations joining the party? Well, you’d be right if that’s what you guessed.
Crypto markets may still be way down but malware is on the rise and is still infiltrating the largest app market places on the web. Google Play Store has yet again been found to be hosting malicious applications designed to steal cryptocurrencies.
Новое вредоносное приложение-клиппер, маскировавшееся под Ethereum-кошелек MetaMask, было обнаружено в магазине приложений Google Play. Об этом сообщила компания Eset. Как пишет в блоге компании специалист по безопасности Лукас Стефанко, целью приложения была кража данных, необходимых для получения доступа к Ethereum-кошелькам пользователей.
Вредоносное ПО, замаскированное под криптовалютный кошелек MetaMask, было обнаружено в магазине приложений Google Play экспертом компании Eset Лукасом Стефанко.
В Google заявили об удалении одного криптовалютного фишингового приложения и трех поддельных криптокошельков. Как видно, Google демонстрирует, что они не отказываются от войны с хакерами и cryptojackers.
Лукас Стефанко выявил в Google Play 4 вредоносных приложения, которые крали пользовательские данные. По словам специалиста в сфере кибербезопасности, приложения создавали видимость блокчейн-кошельков и вымогали криптовалюты.
Четыре поддельных кошелька для криптовалют были найдены в магазине Google Play. Об этом написал специалист компании ESET Лукас Стефанко в своем блоге. Созданные для кражи персональных данных вредоносные приложения выдавали себя за кошельки для NEO, USDT и ETH.
Исследователь вредоносного софта Лукас Стефанко обнаружил четыре поддельных криптовалютных кошелька в Google Play Store, которые пытались украсть персональные данные пользователей, сообщает он в блоге, опубликованном 13 ноября.
On November 13, a malware researcher Lukas Stefanko reported in his blog that he had found four fake applications on Google Play Store that tried to trick users either in to luring their credentials or impersonating cryptocurrency wallets.
Специалист компании ESET Лукас Стефанко обнаружил в магазине Google Play четыре фальшивых кошелька для криптовалют, ворующих персональные данные. Об этом эксперт сообщил в своем блоге. Вредоносные приложения имитировали кошельки для Neo (NEO), Tether (USDT) и Ethereum (ETH), одно из них выдавало себя за MetaMask.
Исследователь вредоносного ПО Лукас Стефанко (Lukas Stefanko), работающий на компанию ESET, сообщил, что обнаружил в магазине приложений Google Play четыре криптокошелька, с помощью которых у пользователей пытались похитить их персональные данные и средства.
Специалист компании ESET Лукас Стефанко обнаружил в магазине Google Play четыре фальшивых кошелька для криптовалют, ворующих персональные данные. Об этом эксперт сообщил в своем блоге. Вредоносные приложения имитировали кошельки для Neo (NEO), Tether (USDT) и Ethereum (ETH), одно из них выдавало себя за MetaMask.
Исследователь вредоносных программ Лукас Стефанко обнаружил четыре фейковых криптовалютных кошелька в Google Play, которые предназначались для кражи персональных данных пользователей, об этом он сообщил в своём блоге 13 ноября.
It seems we might never win the battle against fake cryptocurrency apps on Google’s Play Store, as another four have been identified this week. The apps were masquerading on the Play Store as cryptocurrency wallets for NEO, Tether, and MetaMask.
Accessing the Tron blockchain will now become easier for the users as TronLink has been released for popular browsers. The feature can be used on Google Chrome, Brave Browser, and Firefox browser.
MetaMask
MetaMask brings cryptocurrency to your web browser. Via a Google Chrome or Brave extension, users of MetaMask are able to run Ethereum based decentralised apps, without the inconvenience of running a full Ethereum node.
Разработчики плагина MetaMask объявили, что в последнюю версию расширения (4. 9. 0) была добавлена поддержка аппаратных кошельков Trezor. На данный момент новая функция доступна только пользователям браузера Google Chrome.
On July 25, 2018, the Google Chrome App Store, a platform that enables users of the most widely utilized web browser in the world to install native browser apps, removed Ethereum wallet MetaMask from its store.
That was how Kevin Serrano, an employee at ethereum startup and incubator ConsenSys, described the revelation that MetaMask had been removed from Google Chrome’s web store in a recently published blog post.
MetaMask, a popular web plugin that functions as an Ethereum wallet and allows users to run dApps in their browser, was briefly removed from Google Chrome’s web store today. Users speculated that the removal was related to Google’s ban on extensions that can be used for mining.
Вечером 25 июля Chrome Web Store удалил Ethereum-расширение MetaMask. Однако на следующий день плагин вновь появился в интернет-магазине. Согласно заявлению команды MetaMask в Twitter, поисковый гигант Google Chrome без предупреждения удалил приложение из веб-магазина, не объяснив причины решения.
MetaMask, which enables users to run Ethereum Dapps, announced its removal from the Chrome Web Store, the reasons for which were not explained. MetaMask, a popular Google Chrome plugin for interacting with the Ethereum network, is back to the Google Chrome Web Store, several hours after disappearing from there. On June 25th, MetaMask announced on its Twitter that it
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