Android apps with over 2 million installs contain malware
Let’s start with the app called ‘TubeBox’. This app has over 1 million downloads on its own, as Bleeping Computer reported. TubeBox promises monetary rewards for watching videos and ads, but you get errors instead. Even if you get to the final withdrawal step, you never really receive any funds. This is just a trick for the app to keep you around for as long as possible. This way, the app generates revenue for the developers. A bunch of other apps have been spotted with adware, four of them. Their names are Bluetooth device auto connect, Bluetooth & Wi-Fi & USB driver, Volume, Music Equalizer, and Fast Cleaner & Cooling Master. Out of these apps, the first one had the most downloads, 1 million. The second amassed 100,000, the third 50,000, and the last one only 500. All of these have been removed from the Play Store at this point. These four apps actually receive commands from Firebase Cloud Messaging, and load the websites specified in those commands. That way, they generate fraudulent ad impressions.
One of the apps even allowed remote operators to configure proxy servers
The last app on the list, with the least downloads, also allowed the remote operators to configure an infected device as a proxy server. Needless to say, that is quite dangerous. Dr. Web also spotted some loan scam apps, which claim to be connected with Russian banks and investment groups. Each of them has around 10,000 downloads on the Play Store. You can check them out in the image below.
These apps promise guaranteed investment profits. They only take users to phishing sites that collect personal information from users. As per usual, be careful when installing apps. Check the reviews, use common sense, and be careful when granting them permissions. Also, if you have any of the mentioned apps installed on your device, it would be wise to remove them as soon as possible.
