Thousands of apps in Apple’s and Google’s online stores contain code from the Pushwoosh company, which claims to be an American company but is based in Russia. Pushwoosh provides code and data processing assistance to software developers. They can use it to create profiles of users’ online activities and send tailored notifications.
According to Reuters, customers included the US military, which stopped using it in March for security reasons. The US CDC removed the Pushwoosh code from their apps after Reuters pointed out the Russian connection. “The CDC assumed that Pushwoosh was a Washington DC area company,” a spokeswoman said.
Not based in California but in Novosibirsk
In the US, the company even pretends to be an American company in official documents and on social media, said to be based in California, Maryland or Washington County at various times. However, as evidenced by publicly available documents in Russia, its headquarters are in Novosibirsk. About 40 people work there and the turnover amounted to 2.4 million dollars (2.31 million euros) last year. Pushwoosh is registered with the Russian authorities and pays taxes in Russia. In the past, officials in Russia have forced local companies to hand over user data to the secret services.
No evidence of abuse
There was no evidence of misuse of the data collected by Pushwoosh. “The data Pushwoosh collects is similar to what Facebook, Google or Amazon might collect,” said security researcher Zach Edwards, who discovered the prevalence of the company’s code while working for Internet Safety Labs. “However, the difference is that all Pushwoosh data in the US is sent to servers controlled by a company in Russia.” Google and Apple declined to comment specifically on Pushwoosh. According to Appfigures experts, the company’s code can be found in nearly 8,000 apps in their stores.
Pushwoosh founder Max Konev said in an email to Reuters in September that his company has never tried to hide its Russian roots. “I am proud to be Russian and would never hide it,” he wrote. After the investigation was published, the company then explained in a blog post that it had never owned a company registered in the Russian Federation. Instead, Pushwoosh outsourced some tasks to a Russian company in Novosibirsk. This contract was terminated in February 2022. Pushwoosh’s data would be stored in the US and Germany.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
