Warning! Beware of Clones of Popular Android Apps – Check for Familiar Names
Cybercriminals are always on the lookout for opportunities to deceive users and gain access to their personal information and bank accounts. They use a clever tactic of embedding malware in a way that can avoid detection by cybersecurity experts for an extended period, often disguising it as legitimate apps or services. This has resulted in a new surge of apps containing harmful malware, causing alarm and warnings for tens of thousands of Android users.
Bitdefender cybersecurity researchers recently uncovered a hidden malware campaign that managed to remain undetected on mobile devices around the world for over six months. Further investigations into the malware campaign revealed that the campaign was specifically designed to aggressively distribute adware to Android devices with the aim of generating substantial revenue. So far, Bitdefender has identified 60,000 unique applications that contain this adware, and it is strongly suspected that there are many more such samples in the wild.
How will it affect Android users? Further investigation also suggests that this particular threat campaign has implemented a trick to redirect users to different types of malware. These include banking Trojans that are capable of stealing sensitive financial information from victims. Worryingly, these malware-laden apps actually mimic real and popular apps published on the Play Store. Researchers call these apps “modified” apps, which are modified versions of the original apps with their original features. Here are the malicious apps hijacked by the malware:
Apps that mimic malware
- A game of cracks
- Games with unlocked features
- Free VPN
- Fake videos
- Netflix
- Fake tutorials
- YouTube without ads
- TikTok without ads
- Cracked utilities: weather, pdf viewers, etc
- Fake security software
What should you do?
- To ensure the safety of your device, the cyber security company has advised you to use a robust security solution that effectively identifies these threats.
- In addition, they strongly discourage people from downloading apps from third-party app stores and websites, as it significantly increases the risk of compromising your device’s security.
- Always check the app developer before downloading even from legitimate sources.
