Top App Developer: Apple Bans Thuat Nguyen from ITunes

Apple takes the integrity of their App store very seriously. The top app developer, Thuat Nguyen, has been banned from iTunes after it was discovered that he was hacking into users accounts and purchasing his applications. This was how he artificially inflated the total sales of his inventions, landing him on top of the coveted "Top Apps" list.

Apple is known for having stringent requirements for the development of the Apps that they sell for the iPhone and the iPad. For instance, nudity is not allowed on any - except, of course, if you are Playboy. In addition, you have to be approved in order to be able to even make something that can be downloaded in to the device.

Perhaps Apple's stringent App rules have helped the company avert a crisis that would create a widespread iPhone or iPad virus.

Still, it was the keen eye of a fellow developer that got Apple's attention. Nguyen's applications were translations of popular Japanese manga titles in the book section. The name of the developer "mycompany" was listed at one point as 42 of the top 50 book applications downloaded on iTunes.

So what? Well, considering that he beat out Stephenie Meyers's Twilight Series - it's a big deal.

A developer who makes self help book applications noted that the apps made by "mycompany" were high on the list despite not having many user reviews or ratings. He is quoted by Sky News as saying "If there's criminal activity at hand, iPhone app customers are the primary victims, with the developers of legitimate, hard-worked apps a collateral damage,"

The use of the manga art could also be a breach of copyright laws.

Thuat Nguyen's alleged fraudulent activity landed him banned, and an Apple spokeswoman notes that he's been banned for "fraudulent activities" including fraudulent sales.

The accounts of 400 iTunes users were affected, yet Apple notes that their server was not compromised. Their server holds confidential Credit Card information that many people have tied to their iTunes accounts. Users may see requests for verification of information.

Considering that there are 150 million iTunes users worldwide, 400 accounts is merely a drop in the bucket. However, Apple should use the information on how the developer was able to hack the accounts to strengthen their security. There has to be a weakness somewhere if he was so easily able to access the accounts and purchase his own apps so easily.

Source:

Sky News "Apple Bars Top App Developer From iTunes"