While we often think of worst case scenarios When it comes to malware – Stolen identities, drained bank accounts, or private information leaking – the ambitions of the bad actors behind the program aren’t always so great. Sometimes all a malicious app wants is to make its creator a few bucks. Of course, they are still malicious, and now a new list of Android apps with Trojans has been revealed in the Google Play Store.
McAfee’s Mobile Research Team 16 Android apps identified recently With a trojan clicking on Google Play. Android users downloaded infected apps more than 20 million times before Google removed them from the Store. Unfortunately, just because you can’t get the apps doesn’t mean they aren’t on your phone or tablet.
McAfee researchers explained that the malicious code was lurking in a number of common utility applications, such as flashlights, task managers and QR readers.
Once installed, the malware starts browsing websites in the background, without the user’s knowledge, generating fake views and clicks. Not only do they pinpoint the crooks’ pockets with ads, but the impact on your device can be significant.
While your phone is browsing websites in the background, battery life will decrease as if you were browsing by yourself. If you have any weird apps on your phone and the battery life isn’t what it used to be, now you might know why.
Needless to say, you should delete any apps that use your phone as a click farm. Here is the full list of Android apps with Trojans that McAfee researchers found:
- high speed camera (com.hantor.CozyCamera)
- Smart Task Manager (com.james.SmartTaskManager)
- flashlight + (kr.caramel.flash_plus)
- 달력 메모장 (com.smh.memocalendar)
- K-Dictionary (com.joysoft.wordBook)
- Busan Bus (com.kmshack.BusanBus)
- flashlight + (com.candlencom.candleprotest)
- Quick note (com.movinapp.quicknote)
- currency converter (com.smartwho.SmartCurrencyConverter)
- Joy Code (com.joysoft.barcode)
- Izdeka (com.joysoft.ezdica)
- Instagram Profile Downloader (com.schedulezero.instapp)
- Notes (com.meek.tingboard)
- 손전등 (com.candlencom.flashlite)
- 계산기 (com.doubleline.calcul)
- flashlight + (com.dev.imagevault)
Related: Fake Android antivirus apps are stealing banking information, so delete them now
“Freelance web ninja. Wannabe communicator. Amateur tv aficionado. Twitter practitioner. Extreme music evangelist. Internet fanatic.”