Update 2: Both apps are now removed from the App Store as of 10:04 am PT.
Update: Two hours after the original report, a second stealth app climbed the App Store top charts, reaching the second position. The app, called Family Online, appears to be another sanctioned Russian banking app.
Earlier this month, a sanctioned Russian banking app disguised as a Pomodoro timer reached the top three spot on the U.S. iPhone App Store. Today there is a new sanctioned Russian banking app in disguise on the App Store.
When a random productivity app called Cириус broke into the top three on June 5, the non-English language was the biggest clue that something wasn’t right.
This time the sanctioned Russian banking app is less obviously out of place, though the randomness of its rise is again a clear indication that something is amiss.
The app is called Toastmas. It claims to be “a workspace for MCs who juggle multiple events and need everything in one place.”
In reality, the app appears to be a stealth client app for T-Bank, formerly known as Tinkoff Bank.
Apple removed both Toastmas and Family Online from the App Store shortly after their suspicious chart activity was reported, suggesting the App Store’s top charts feature continues to serve as a useful early indicator for flagging apps that don’t belong.
