Many reports about Android apps being loaded with adware and malicious codes have been documented recently. These malware-infected applications have over 10 million installations on people’s Android devices.
Recent research shows numerous compromised mobile applications spoof utility tools such as virtual keyboards, system optimisers, image-editing tools, and wallpaper editors on the official Google Play Store.
These malware-infected apps endorse many intrusive advertisements, subscribe unaware targets to premium services, and steal social media accounts. Once inside a device, the malicious Android apps ask permission for overlay windows and are appended to the battery server’s exclusion list after installation.
Moreover, the app icons stay obfuscated from the app drawer or get substituted with a core system component such as SIM Toolkit. One example of such an adware app is Neon Theme Keyboard, which is currently available on the app store and has approximately millions of downloads.
The concern is that these apps are still rated and even got a 1.8-star rating with many positive reviews.
Some researchers also emphasised that similar threats to Android apps are lingering on the Google Play Store.
Several months ago, researchers discovered Android apps included in a set of applications containing the Joker malware. This malware is notorious for leveraging fraudulent fees on a target’s mobile phone numbers by subscribing them to premium services.
Two Facebook account stealers were recently seen distributing in image editing app tools. This set of applications has garnered 1.5 million downloads from different users globally.
This detail indicates that the malicious threat actors have been using Android applications to lure or infect unaware users. Additionally, these apps cover a wide range of attack scope since the accessibility of these entities reaches every corner of the world.
Android-based malware keeps getting more sophisticated to bypass Google Play Store’s security feature. These compromised apps could establish persistence within the network for several months.
Therefore, experts advise everyone to verify these apps by reviewing user reviews and ratings before downloading.
