The famous antivirus company Avast has alerted Android users that a malware that hides itself in famous apps in Google Play Store may be affecting their devices. This is yet another security breach in Android which could affect millions of users around the globe.
In a blog post, Avast expert Filip Chytry wrote that a few days ago, an Android user pointed out an adware which pops up in Android OS, prompting the user about vulnerabilities in the devices and asks the user to install certain apps. This was not taken seriously but upon taking a closer look, Chytry found that this is a lethal Malware hidden in famous apps.
Some of the apps that are affected by this malware include Durak, the famous card game which has been downloaded more than 5 million times from Play Store; IQ test and a history app. But the real worrying factor is that the adware might have affected many famous apps that users install and use daily.
The said malware hides itself in the app and when the user installs it, nothing unusual happens for many days. The source said that the malware gets to action after 20-30 days. It shows a fake notification telling the user to install some security apps to fight a potential vulnerability of the device and when the user clicks the ad, that is when the damage is done. The malware gets active and retrieves user information from the phone.
The Wall Street Journal quoted a Google spokeswoman who has claimed that Google has took action against the malware affected apps and now, they have been pulled off from the app store. However, the source added that the exact number of apps that are malware infected is yet to be known so there’s still a chance that dirty apps are on the app store for the download.
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