Have you ever gone on Google Play Store to download one application and then came back with several because they looked good and seemed to be very helpful applications? Well, that happens to a lot of people. But recently people have been warned against four apps that successfully snuck past all that controls Google Play Store and were downloaded by millions.
Now Google Play Store is warning all Android users that may have downloaded these applications to delete them because they contained sneaky links. This Software that was hidden in the applications had one job, phishing websites designed to steal sensitive information.
Phishing is a scam that is designed to send emails that look like they are from reputable and popular companies. These emails entice people to reveal their private information like various passwords or credit card information.
The security that found this serious problem is Malwarebytes and they eliminated the problem as soon as they could, but still warned those who downloaded the apps to delete them from their Android gadgets.
This is not the first time these developers have brought an endangering application on the Google Play Store application. In 2020, they developed an application that was also downloaded over a million times. The application was called “Bluetooth Auto Connect.” After this application, many more have followed. These applications are mobile transfer, smart switch, Bluetooth App sender, and Driver: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and USB.
How the application works
Interestingly enough, this application takes its time. Whether it is to gain your trust or to just be preparing for your doom, it will sit on your phone for a few days before engaging. Then the spams begin on your phone, at which point the phishing begins doing its job.
After the preliminary delay, the malicious app opens phishing sites in Chrome. The content of the phishing sites varies – some are innocent websites used certainly to produce pay-per-click, and others are more risky phishing websites that attempt to trick unsuspecting users. For example, one web page consists of adult content that leads to phishing pages that tell the person they’ve been infected, or want to function an update.
The Chrome tabs are opened in the background even at the identical time as the mobile phone gadget is locked. When the user unlocks their device, Chrome opens with the current site. A new tab opens with a new net internet page frequently, and as a result, unlocking your telephone after pretty a few hours capacity closing a couple of tabs. The client’s browser records will moreover be a long list of nasty phishing sites.
Why applications get banned from Google Play Store
There is a long list of applications that the Google Play Store banned. As of today, at least fifty applications were banned from the Play Store. These applications have good reasons why they do not appear on the Play Store app. Some of the reasons that some of the apps were banned like this application are that they were designed to steal money.
There was an instance with another app, designed by another group of hackers. The malware was called Joker, at it was discovered this year in July by Pradeo.
Android users were told to delete the application as soon as possible as this app had the capability of signing up a person of the most expensive subscriptions for various services without the knowledge of the device owners.
The security company managed to contain the madness, but almost a hundred thousand users had already downloaded the application. They were told to, however, uninstall the application if they didn’t want to end up bankrupt and In serious debt without any inking of how they got there. All of this took place without a victim’s knowledge, with clients completely noticing the fraud when they accumulate their payments which can be weeks later.
There have also been banned applications that went with “Smart SMS messages” and another that was called “Blood Pressure app.” These two were quite similar to the applications that got banned recently. These apps also had the capability of reading passwords. The two apps seemingly worked together but Google Play Store banned them.
Other applications that were banned from Google Play Store
The following apps were banned from Google Play Store because of their malicious intentions. Others also snuck past Google security and into the Play Store.
- Wi-Fi mouse
- Tube mate
- Grooveshark
- Speed radar camera
- Smart kit 360
- Handcent Next SMS- texting with MMS
- Audiosdroid audio studio DAW
- Simple weather and clock widget
- QR and Barcode scanner
- Fingerprint changer
- My chat translator and
- Al-Moazine lite.
How to delete any applications downloaded from Google Play Store
- Open the Google Play Store app.
- At the top to the right, press the profile icon. – press Manage apps and devices.
- Press on the name of the application you wish to get rid of
- Press Uninstall
And just like that, you have gotten rid of any applications you got from Android Play Store but no longer want them. Or, like in this case, are dangerous applications that you do not need for the sake of your safety. To be on the much safer side, delete every information that came with the deleted applications.
While the applications have been dealt with and done, there is still the matter of the developers of this malicious software. They are called the “Mobile apps group” but they are nowhere to be found and even what seems to be their website is inaccessible. Considering this is their second time doing this and not getting caught, it would be easy to be safe than sorry. Staying away from suspicious applications on Google Play Store is one of the ways of avoiding ending up in situations like this. Crooks are getting better each day, so if you cannot outsmart them, outrun them.
