Play Store: 21 Android apps with adware found

Η Google removed 15 Android applications from the Play Store, during the weekend, as according to a report from the company Avast, were infected with adware.

According to security researchers, the applications were infected with a type malware, known as HiddenAds.

This particular Android adware, discovered in 2019, displays excessive and annoying ads and opens mobile browsers on ad pages.

The analyst malware of Avast, Jakub Vávrasaid adware applications imitated popular games. The hackers behind these applications were trying to attract users with ads through SOCIAL MEDIA.

By installing these applications, adware HiddenAds hides the application icon, so that users can not easily delete them in the future. Then the applications start to bomb them users with ads.

The researchers found a total of 21 infected applications. However, six of them are still available in the Play Store: Shoot Them, Helicopter Shoot, Find 5 Differences - 2020 NEW, Rotate Shape, Cover art Find the Differences - Puzzle Game and Money Destroyer.

Avast said that at least seven million users had downloaded these applications on their device.

Vávra said it is easy to deceive a user and install some of these applications. However, there are some data that can help users detect malicious applications.

According to the analyst, users should be very careful when downloading applications on their phones. Must always check application profiles and reviews and be cautious when an application requests multiple licenses for access to information.

In addition, since many of these adware applications (games) are aimed at children and advertised on social media, Avast encourages parents to talk and educate their children on safe behavior in Internet.

Many times, Google has been confronted with malicious applications, which have managed to bypass security measures and go to the Play Store.

In recent months, Google has removed a huge number of malicious applications that could endanger users. Many of them even had millions of downloads. Also, according to ZDNet, the company has disabled developer accounts that uploaded such applications to the Play Store.