Delete 52 mobile apps linked to China, UP Special Task Force orders staffers

The Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force on Friday asked its staffers to uninstall 52 mobile apps, pointing that these applications could be used to extract information from their mobile phones. The STF order also asked staff members to get their family members to remove the mobile applications.

The applications that have been red-flagged by the STF include short-video app TikTok, and other utility and content apps such as UC browser, Xender, SHAREit and Clean-master.

The STF advisory comes in wake of an assessment by intelligence agencies that expressed concern about the safety of at least 53 mobile applications linked to China. The National Security Council Secretariat had backed this assessment of the intelligence community.

Also Read: Intel agencies red-flag use of 53 mobile apps with links to China: Complete list

Amitabh Yash, Inspector General (IG) of Police of UP STF, said that he had issued an order. He said an internal circular had been issued applicable to STF members to uninstall 52 Chinese applications in view of the possibility that their usage could lead to unauthorised sharing and stealing of personal data.

The top STF police officer told Hindustan Times that he had got the notice pasted at different places in the UP STF office in Lucknow and had circulated it on internal groups to ensure 100 percent compliance of the order.

Amitabh Yash said they had not listed Zoom video conferencing platform in the list of 52 because “the Zoom meeting platform is already banned for the STF members”.

“All staff members were told to uninstall it from their mobile handsets and other devices around a month ago,” he added.

In April this year, the Union Home Ministry had issued a general advisory on use of Zoom on the recommendation of the national cybersecurity agency – Computer Emergency Response Team of India (CERT-in). This advisory was issued in light of concerns around its safety.

Additional Director General (ADG), Law and Order, Prashant Kumar added that the circular was issued as a precautionary measure and covers applications that, in their assessment, do not have proven credentials or were liable to be misused. It is designed to stay safe and secure in cyberspace, right from a mobile handset to a laptop or desktop computers.

Kumar clarified that the state police headquarters had not issued a fresh order on the mobile apps but these are mandatory requirements to be taken by each organisation to stay safe in cyberspace.

Amitabh Yas said he had asked STF members to ensure that their family members did not use these applications as our personal information could also be leaked and shared while talking and chatting on them. “My conversation with my wife and children could be shared even if their mobile handset has Chinese applications,” he said in response to a query on the reason behind asking families of STF members to delete the apps.

Officials said the decision was taken after considering the possibility of data theft and leaking of personal information via these applications.

Amitabh Yash said though he had listed 52 applications in his circular but the most commonly used applications by the people that are included in the list are TikTok, UC Browser, UC News, SHAREIt and WeChat.

He said others in the list are Vault Hide, Vigo Video, Bigo Live, Weibo, Beauty Plus, Xender, Club Factory, Helo, LIKE, Kwai, ROMWE, SHEIN, News Dog, Photo Wonder, APUS Browser, Viva Video – QU Video Inc, Perfect Corp, CM Browser, Virus Cleaner (Hi Security Lab), MI Community, DU recorder, You Cam Makeup, MI Store, DU Battery Saver, 360 Security, DU Browser, DU Cleaner, DU Privacy, Clean Master – Cheetah, Cache Cleaner DU apps studio, Baidu Translate, Baidu Map, Wonder Camera, ES File Explorer, QQ International, QQ Launcher, QQ Security Centre, QQ Player, QQ Music, QQ Mall, QQ News Feed, We Sync, Selfie City, Clash of Kings, Mail Master, MI Video call – Xiomi and Parallel Space.