25 Android Apps With 2.1 Million Downloads Removed From Google Play Due to Adware: Symantec

Android apps that use adware and unethical malware are on the rise. A new Symantec report highlights a full set of new applications that allow malware and adware to generate illegal revenue. These applications, 25 in total, have been downloaded almost 2.1 million times from the Google Play Store, the company said. It is claimed that all these malicious apps were removed after Symantec reported them to Google.

These 25 apps have been disguised as photo or mode apps to trigger downloads. They were published in 22 different developer accounts, but they shared a similar code structure and application content. Symantec suggests that these applications may have been developed by the same group of organizations, or at least using the same source code base.

Once you have installed these malicious applications, the application icon is visible on the device, but disappears quickly after running a remote code. Then, full-screen ads appear on your phone at sporadic intervals, interrupting the user. Advertisements do not know which app activates them, and since the app's icon is gone, users often do not know what to do to get rid of intrusive ads.

Symantec also notes that two versions of the app also appear in the Google Play Store: one non-malicious version and one containing adware. The clean version can be sorted into Google Play charts, but there is a chance that the malicious version will also be downloaded due to an error. An application called Auto Blur Photo made by the developer Burnerfock had two versions in the Play Store. The non-malicious version was present in the main Google Apps application charts in the Major Apps category, occupying number 7 in the list.

These 25 apps are different from others because they manage to hide application icons without coding the function in the APK. Programming is done using a built-in remote switch that Google can not detect in the test phase. The research firm said: "The monetary gain from advertising revenue is probably the motivating factor behind these apps, and because apps can hide their presence on the home screen, users can easily forget As such, malware writers can display ads freely and aggressively for users, with minimal evidence to resume them. "

The increase of these malicious apps in the Play Store leads to the need for stricter Google metrics during the test phase of the app. On the user side, we recommend that you do not download unknown applications from unreliable sources. It is also important to carefully check the permissions granted to each application, download the latest security patches, and keep your software up-to-date. It is also recommended to use antivirus software subscriptions and to perform frequent backups.