This is why brands need to think about the technologies they will think about using for the future consumer authentication apps. Counterfeit apps, authentication sites and the use of open source solutions create security holes in the brand protection strategies of all brands.
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/08/technology/daily-report-fake-retail-apps-apple.html
After a bruising presidential campaign, more than a few of us might be looking forward to a festive holiday season. But the holidays are bringing their own problems, including a proliferation of fake retail apps that may be trying to trick you.
The counterfeit apps have popped up in abundance in Apple’s App Store in recent weeks, writes Vindu Goel. They are often disguised as the bona fide apps of luxury-goods makers like Christian Dior or discount stores like Dollar Tree.
Consumers may be deceived into entering their credit card numbers or Facebook login information into these apps, which would expose them to financial or information security risks. Some of the fake apps may even contain malware that could steal people’s information.
For Apple, the question is how so many of these apps, which appear to have originated in China, slipped past the company’s vetting process. The problem is not new — counterfeit apps have been around for a while — but their recent surge shows how intractable the issue can be. Apple has removed many of the fake retail apps after inquiries from reporters.
