A team of researchers from ESET (Enjoy Safer Technology) has discovered many dangerous Android apps in Play Store. These apps contain harmful adware that can drain your device’s battery life. Furthermore, they also have the potential to use your Internet data and harvest personal information without your knowledge.
According to one of the researchers, all these apps have already been taken down from the Play Store. Unfortunately, they found that these apps have been downloaded 8 million times when they were available.
This is Affecting iOS Apps Too
It was only recently when iPhone users were also warned about certain apps that had infiltrated the Apple Store. These apps steal money from users’ accounts. On the other hand, dangerous Android apps could reinstall on their own even after you delete them from your mobile phone!
In addition, some of the anti-virus apps that promise to protect you from online attacks may actually be spying on your phone and earning money behind your back.
Dangerous Android Apps You Should Delete Now
Researchers revealed the names of some of these dangerous Android apps.
Below are some of the apps that Android users must delete immediately and avoid installing from Google Play Store:
- Basketball Perfect Shot
- DU Recorder
- File Downloader
- Free Video Downloader
- Flat Music Player
- Free Radio FM Online
- Heroes Jump
- HikeTop+
- Free Social Video Downloader
- Mini lite for Facebook
- MP4 Video Downloader
- Free Top Video Downloader
- Ringtone Maker Pro
- SaveInsta
- Smart Gallery
- Smart Notes for You
- Solucionario Ringtone Maker
- Tank Classic
- Video Downloader
- Water Drink Reminder
If you are concerned that you might have downloaded any of the dangerous Android apps that aren’t mentioned on the list above, there are ways to check if any of them have made their way on your phone. You can use phone services like AppBrain, which is capable of identifying a program according to the name of the package.
Apps Containing Adware
The ESET research team has confirmed that these apps work according to what they claim and are able to provide the services they are advertising. However, they contain dangerous adware, which is why they must be removed whether you find them effective or not. After your phone is unlocked, these apps start displaying full-screen ads in order to make money.
But what’s even more upsetting is the fact that most of these apps are good at disguising themselves. As a matter of fact, they are able to impersonate popular social media apps like Instagram, Facebook, etc. So even if a user attempts to figure out what’s responsible for the adware on the phone, they won’t be able to figure it out.
For instance, if the user tries to find out the app that’s behind the ads showing on his or her screen, some of these dangerous Android apps are smart enough to display the icon of Google or Facebook. It’s because the adware can imitate these apps to make itself appear legit. This way, no one will be able to suspect them.
The ESET team was able to trace these app developers. Even though they haven’t been named, we know that they develop apps for Apple store too!
Conclusion
Apps are useful tools in this day and age. They help make our lives easier by providing us with a platform to quickly and easily perform certain tasks. Whether it’s listening to our favorite music, performing financial transactions, or others, these apps will surely come in handy. However, we also have to be very careful with the type of app that we download.
Just because you find a particular app very useful doesn’t mean that it’s safe. As mentioned above, these dangerous Android apps work according to what they claim so you won’t be able to suspect anything.
Do you know of other dangerous apps that Android users should avoid? If so, feel free to share them with us in the comments below!
