Microsoft allowing pirated XAPs to be uploaded to the Windows Phone Store?
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The Samsung ATIV S hack has has recently allowed anyone with an ATIV to download and repackage XAPs from developers, and if you have a developer unlocked handset it is easy to sideload these pirated games and apps to your own Nokia or HTC handset.
The only reason this did not introduce rampant piracy to the Windows Phone ecosystem is that the vast majority of handsets are developer locked, meaning all apps have to come via the Windows Phone Store.
It seems this is not such an issue anymore, as it appears Microsoft is allowing pirated XAPs to be uploaded and then downloaded directly to the Windows Phone Store.
A Vietnamese developer called menguyen has uploaded a copy of the Halfbrick game Fruit Ninja to the store, and it appears to have passes certification and can now be downloaded for free.
Not only can this damage developer confidence in Windows Phone; because the XAPs can be modified before being uploaded such a practice can introduce malware to the store, such as stealing your contacts.
The game can be found here, but because we do not know how the app has been modified I would not suggest anyone download it.
Do our readers think this is a real problem, or has Microsoft’s certifiers just been slacking over thanksgiving? Let us know below.
Via Plaffo.com
