A fresh batch of harmful Android applications containing adware and malware that have been installed on almost 10 million mobile devices has been discovered on the Google Play Store.
The apps pretend to be picture editors, virtual keyboards, system optimizers, wallpaper changes, and other things. Their primary functionality, however, is to display invasive advertisements, subscribe users to premium services, and hijack victims' social network accounts.
The Dr Web antivirus team discovered several dangerous applications, which they highlighted in a study published.
Google has removed the great majority of the offered applications, however, three remain available for download and installation via the Play Store at the time of writing.
Also, if anyone installed any of these applications before they were removed from the Play Store, then will need to manually delete them from the device and conduct an antivirus check to remove any leftovers.
The latest dangerous Android applications
Dr Web found adware apps that are variations on existing families that initially surfaced on the Google Play Store in May 2022.
When the applications are installed, they ask for permission to overlay windows over any app and can add themselves to the battery saver's exclusion list, allowing them to run in the background even after the victim shuts the app.
Furthermore, they hide their app drawer icons or replace them with anything resembling a fundamental system component, such as "SIM Toolkit."
"This app "killed" my phone. It keep'd crashing , i couldn't even enter password to unlock phone and uninstall it. Eventually, I had to make a complete wipe out (factory reset), to regain phone. DO NOT , install this app !!!!," read a review of the app on the Google Play Store.
Joker applications, which are infamous for incurring false payments on victims' mobile phones by subscribing them to premium services, are the second kind of harmful apps spotted on the Play Store.
Two of the featured applications, 'Water Reminder' and 'Yoga - For Beginner to Advanced,' have 100,000 and 50,000 downloads, respectively, in the Play Store.
Both deliver the claimed functionality, but they also execute malicious operations in the background, interacting with unseen or out-of-focus WebView objects and charging consumers.
Finally, Dr. Web identifies two Facebook account stealers that are disseminated through picture editing applications and use cartoon effects on ordinary images.
These applications are 'YouToon - AI Cartoon Effect' and 'Pista - Cartoon Photo Effect,' and they have been downloaded over 1.5 million times in the App Store.
Android malware will always find a way into the Google Play Store, and apps can occasionally linger there for months, so users should not blindly trust any app or no apps.
As a result, it is critical to read user reviews and ratings, visit the developer's website, read the privacy policy, and pay close attention to the permissions sought during installation.
- Photo Editor: Beauty Filter (gb.artfilter.tenvarnist)
- Photo Editor: Retouch & Cutout (de.nineergysh.quickarttwo)
- Photo Editor: Art Filters (gb.painnt.moonlightingnine)
- Photo Editor - Design Maker (gb.twentynine.redaktoridea)
- Photo Editor & Background Eraser (de.photoground.twentysixshot)
- Photo & Exif Editor (de.xnano.photoexifeditornine)
- Photo Editor - Filters Effects (de.hitopgop.sixtyeightgx)
- Photo Filters & Effects (de.sixtyonecollice.cameraroll)
- Photo Editor : Blur Image (de.instgang.fiftyggfife)
- Photo Editor : Cut, Paste (de.fiftyninecamera.rollredactor)
- Emoji Keyboard: Stickers & GIF (gb.crazykey.sevenboard)
- Neon Theme Keyboard (com.neonthemekeyboard.app)
- Neon Theme - Android Keyboard (com.androidneonkeyboard.app)
- Cashe Cleaner (com.cachecleanereasytool.app)
- Fancy Charging (com.fancyanimatedbattery.app)
- FastCleaner: Cashe Cleaner (com.fastcleanercashecleaner.app)
- Call Skins - Caller Themes (com.rockskinthemes.app)
- Funny Caller (com.funnycallercustomtheme.app)
- CallMe Phone Themes (com.callercallwallpaper.app)
- InCall: Contact Background (com.mycallcustomcallscrean.app)
- MyCall - Call Personalization (com.mycallcallpersonalization.app)
- Caller Theme (com.caller.theme.slow)
- Caller Theme (com.callertheme.firstref)
- Funny Wallpapers - Live Screen (com.funnywallpapaerslive.app)
- 4K Wallpapers Auto Changer (de.andromo.ssfiftylivesixcc)
- NewScrean: 4D Wallpapers (com.newscrean4dwallpapers.app)
- Stock Wallpapers & Backgrounds (de.stockeighty.onewallpapers)
- Notes - reminders and lists (com.notesreminderslists.app)
