There is really no way to stop malicious apps in the Google Play Store. After researchers discovered that many apps contained Trojans in March, a security company recently found five apps with malicious code that can steal users’ commonly used website login information. The number of downloads has exceeded 2 million. Representatives say that many users have won the bid. If you have downloaded them, remember to delete them immediately.
（Image source: sleepingcomputer）
5 malicious apps found on Google Play Store with over 2 million downloads
Recently, Dr.WEB, a foreign network security research company, published an article that found several malicious advertising apps in the Google Play Store, as well as malicious apps that can steal data. The latter can be said to be particularly careful, because these malicious apps can steal your login credentials for websites you frequently use, including: social platforms, online banking, mailboxes, etc., and try to take over your accounts.
The report also mentioned that these two malicious Apps are one of the most serious threats to Android in May 2022, and the following 5 of them can still be used at the time of writing:
- PIP Pic Camera Photo Editor – 1 million downloads, a malicious app disguised as photo editing software that steals users’ Facebook account credentials.
- Wild & Exotic Animal Wallpaper – 500,000 downloads, this is an app with a built-in advertising Trojan that changes the icon and name to “SIM Toolkit” and automatically adds it to the battery saving exception list.
- ZodiHoroscope – Fortune Finder – With 500,000 downloads, this malicious app will steal Facebook account credentials by asking users to enter their Facebook account login information through a deception process. It is understood that this deception process appears to disable ads in the app.
- PIP Camera 2022 – 50,000 downloads, this is a camera filter app and a Facebook account stealing app.
- Magnifier Flashlight – 10,000 downloads, an adware application featuring video and static banner ads.
User reviews of PIP Pic Camera Photo Editor Many people complained about the lack of editing functions, and some said it would require logging in to Facebook:
I just checked that these apps have been deleted. If you want to know what the icons of these Apps look like, you can click me to jump to Dr.WEB ReportView in .
In addition to these 5 apps, Dr.WEB also found other problematic apps, such as the “Recovery” data recovery app and the “Driving Real Race” game. These all induce users to use paid subscription services, but they were found to have been removed by Google not long after:
Source: KOCPC Chinese