[Updated: The app has apparently been pulled from the App Store.]
It’s just a flashlight! But this is no ordinary flashlight; it’s an application that will let you tether your iOS 4 device for only the cost of the app!
According to some digging over at AppShopper, the Handy Light app looks like any other of the rash of flashlight applications that we’ve seen in the App Store of late. However, it’s a rather thinly veiled tethering application that runs over a SOCKS proxy:
So what’s the big deal? Well, with tethering running a bare minimum of $45/month, a $.99 solution would be quite welcome. However, above and beyond that, it’s yet another slip on the part of Apple in the so-called walled garden of the App Store security.
If this application can slip through the cracks, what else could be out there? We’ve seen more than a few applications lately that we postulated could be sniffing passwords or key logging, and the fact that an application such as Handy Light could make it in is just further proof.
Confirmed this does work, I wonder how long until Apple pulls the application.
I still see it at 6:40pm PT
I’m not sure that app store testers can do much more than test the app works as advertised. I’m not a developer, but highly doubt they have access to the source code to see what other things the app may be doing in the background.
I’ve heard about the reviewers going through code before and pointing out obvious bad code examples. That was also the given reason why it a;ways takes some time before the apps are approved: someone reads through the actual source code. Maybe they stopped that practice.
You can’t really blame Apple for this one. They don’t have access to the developer’s source and thus, its easy for someone to sneak in apps like this. At the most, the AppStore testers can just test the app properly and make sure that it does what was intended but considering the sheer volume of app submissions daily, that’s not an easy task.
Why do I always find out about stuff like this after the fact?
Cant blame Apple? Oh right cause its not their fault they designed a system to run hidden code and not allow you to ispect that code right? Apple – 4 times the price it should be and only half as useful
MyWi – http://www.rockyourphone.com/index.php/mywi-4.0.html. You only get to use this if you want freedom from the Apple Store.