Check Point said that LightsOut could override user settings to disable the ads, and some users still saw the ads even after they paid for a supposedly ad-free version of the infected app.
Fortunately, Google removed the malicious apps as soon as it was informed by Trend Micro. These apps have become ubiquitous with Android and if you're looking for ...
Overcoming this situation is not easy - home users need to have a certain level of assurance before installing anything on any of their devices and not all independent review sites are completely honest these days either.
Covington said there appears to be no sign of a slowdown of mobile malware, which has a 100 percent increase year after year. For instance, an app that was in the top ten apps previous week will not be seen in the top ten this week. According to Padon, malware downloads on Google Play more than doubled between 2016 and 2017, and he encourages consumers to download security software for their devices.
Google booted a number of apps from its online store that fooled people into believing they were helpful services, like flashlights and call recording apps, while spreading malware.
A report says hundreds of Android games are quietly tracking users' TV habits by turning on the microphone.
Cybersecurity company Check Point Software revealed the findings on Friday after discovering the fraudulent apps in November and notifying Google (goog), which promptly removed the software from the Google Play store, said Check Point security researcher Daniel Padon.
The malware, dubbed "LightsOut", was hidden in 22 different apps to secretly generate ad revenue for its developers by constantly bombarding users with pop-up ads that forced a person to click them before they could continue using the device.
In what could be among the most intelligently-designed malicious apps, as many as 36 such apps on the Google Play Store were found harvesting sensitive user data, sending them to remote servers and aggressively pushing advertisements to user devices as part of a click fraud campaign, while performing the usual functions expected from mobile security apps. Do a quick Internet search about the developer as well as the app name to ensure they are safe to use.
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