Cybersecurity researchers have issued a warning to Android device owners about the presence of malware capable of invading bank applications and may be acting in many devices.
These viruses were identified in a more comprehensive investigation carried out by Bitdefender, which revealed the existence of a staggering 60,000 Android apps infected with malicious software.
see more
Alert: THIS poisonous plant landed a young man in the hospital
Google develops AI tool to help journalists in…
According to researchers, malware hides behind popular or highly sought after apps that are not found on Google Play Store. This strategy aims to trick users into downloading viruses without raising suspicion.
According to Bitdefender, these apps are related to a campaign that aims to aggressively promote adware, which is a type of malware that hides in advertisements. The intention behind this is to generate revenue for the fraudsters.
Websites that display advertisements have the ability to generate revenue when visitors interact with these advertisements. This is why fraudsters often resort to using adware, as advertisements act as a new source of income.
Beware of Google Play apps!
Still according to Bitdefender, the cybercriminals behind this attack also use other types of malware, such as so-called 'banking Trojans', which are capable of stealing financial data.
And to make matters worse, it has been found that there are “modified” apps available on the Google Play Store, the official Android app store.
Modified apps are developed by individual programmers or unofficial companies operating outside established regulations.
These apps often have a lot of ads and offer free premium services or features that are not available in the basic version.
In many cases, when trying to install these malicious programs, users are faced with a fake error message stating that the installation was unsuccessful.
However, the rogue app is hidden in the system and can only be found in the Settings > App info section on Android devices.
The researchers highlighted that this malware has been active since at least October 2022, and drew attention to to the fact that, without the new application anomaly detection technology, it probably would have passed unnoticed.
Finally, the Bitdefender recommends not installing some types of apps that may have malware installed. Are they:
- Game packs that have not been purchased;
- Games with unlocked features;
- Free VPN;
- Copycats of Netflix and other streaming services;
- Fake tutorials;
- Ad-free versions of YouTube, TikTok and other social networks;
- Little-known weather apps;
- Fake security programs;
- Among others.
Lover of movies and series and everything that involves cinema. An active curious on the networks, always connected to information about the web.