Apple said it pulled “a few” apps from its App Store, following concerns that the security of some users’ personal data could be vulnerable.

The apps deleted had installed a root certificate that can expose data to monitoring by third parties.

The certificates route user data to servers where it can be analysed, giving network providers the opportunity to view encrypted traffic, which can lead to data breaches.

In a statement to Reuters, an Apple spokesperson said the company is “working closely with developers to quickly get their apps back on the App Store, while ensuring customer privacy and security is not at risk” and that a support page would be launched to help users remove the apps from their devices.

Although Apple did not say which apps it deleted or how many, Been Choice, maker of an in-app ad blocker, said on Twitter that its app “was pulled from the App Store. We’ll remove ad blocking for FB, Google, Yahoo, and Pinterest apps”.

Last month, the release of Apple’s iOS 9 led to a sharp increase in the popularity of ad blocking apps, after support for such products was added in the latest platform release.

Unsurprisingly, the apps were the subject of harsh criticism from online publishers, who use ads to generate revenue rather than directly charging users to access content.

In the same month, malware dubbed XcodeGhost was found to be embedded in hundreds of iPhone and iPad apps, although it was unclear if it proved to be a serious security threat.