A fake app masquerading as password manager LastPass just got pulled from the App Store | TechCrunch

fne8w2ah@lemmy.world to Technology@lemmy.world – 421 points –
A fake app masquerading as password manager LastPass just got pulled from the App Store | TechCrunch
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I work at an MSP and while it wasn’t LastPass, when you search “Microsoft Authenticator” in the app store there’s a similar looking Authenticator app that’s also blue, and because it’s an ad it shows up first. Had a user install that and was confused why they weren’t able to get MFA working.

Ah, this one:

It’s by design!

Either buy ads for your own brand…

…or someone else will:

Ads in these app stores are a fucking cancer. If the search query is an exact match with the app name, the sensible thing to do is make that app always come first. I guess that won't pay the bills though.

I refuse to search in the App Store for this exact reason. Search on Google gives me the direct link to the App in need.

That said, if you're searching for LastPass, getting 1password as a result is better.

I recently ran through an MFA enforcement campaign and had to build that app into my instructions. "Make sure it's the Microsoft authenticator, not the first result in the paid ad slot" because so many people were installing that app. I do deal with pretty low levels of tech savvy, but still.

Hade a user doing the same thing, orr a couple of users.. apple just works, yeah sure