Android Malware with 300,000 Downloads Poses Serious Threat by Stealing User Data
Android malware continues to be a major headache for Google, and the latest update could affect thousands who may have installed around 14 malicious Android apps from the Play Store. According to McAfee’s report, these malicious apps are already installed on more than 300,000 devices, putting them at immediate risk of potential intrusions and data leaks from bad actors.
The report notes that the problem, called Xamalicious, has been around since mid-2020, and attackers may still be at risk if they haven’t physically checked their devices and cleaned their software to get rid of the malware. The good news is that Google has removed the apps from the Play Store, but there are still thousands who installed the app and need to be careful when using their phones.
Popular apps from Xamalicious
Here are some of the Android apps found on the Play Store with this dangerous malware:
– Essential Horoscope for Android – 100,000 installs
– 3D Skin Editor PE for Minecraft – 100,000 installs
– Logo Maker Pro – 100,000 installs
– Auto Click Repeater – 10,000 installs
– Count Easy Calorie Calculator – 10,000 installs
– Points: One Line Connector – 10,000 installs
– Sound Volume Extender – 5,000 installs
Although these apps were installed from the Play Store, the McAfee team says that more than 10 apps that contain the Xamalicious threat are available from third-party app stores via APK files that are not under Google’s jurisdiction. Despite this, Google is more proactive about third-party apps installed on Android phones and warns people if it detects malicious sounds in the apps.
There are serious concerns about Xamalicious, as any infected device is vulnerable to infiltration, which then looks for backdoor access to the device and gives the malware access to install other dangerous apps. That’s not all, the malware can perform actions such as taking data from your phone, SIM data and firmware. It can extract the device’s location, IP address and the ability to change the root status of the Android phone.
How to avoid installing Xamalicious on Android phone
– Never download apps from third-party stores, but if you want to do so, be sure to read reviews, check ratings and even do proper research on these apps.
– Only download genuine apps from Play Store to avoid these malware threats
