The Dr. Web antivirus team found the most recent batch, including wallpaper programs, keyboards, picture editors, video editors, and occasionally cache cleanser or system maintenance apps. It has received more than 10 million downloads overall.
Twenty-eight apps were discovered in the Google Play Store after evading Google's stringent security measures.
Hacked Android Apps
Regarding the damages, the procedure is essentially unchanged. Once downloaded, most programs will make an effort to disappear, appearing as system apps in the app drawer. They do this in the hopes that the people won't uninstall them. Then, to generate more revenue, the applications would push advertisements and try to sign the victim up for various premium services.
If users hadn't been granted the required rights to the apps, none of this would have been possible. Even though the apps have a straightforward design (and do what they claim to), they frequently request advanced permissions from users, such as the right to be exempt from battery-saving features, to run in the background even after the user closes the app, which is a significant warning sign in and of itself.
Three apps are still available on the Play Store, but most have already been deleted. Even if all of the apps were deleted, they have still been downloaded millions of times. Thus they will continue to pose a threat until they are completely deleted from the smartphones of all victims.
Since harmful programs are getting better at hiding in plain sight, downloading from reputable sites is no longer the only recommendation. Users should check the reviews as well because they offer a reliable indication of the apps' reliability. Additionally, verify that there are many reviews, as threat actors have been known to spoof some of them. It's better to avoid an app if there are few reviews.
The researchers' complete list of malicious programs is shown below:
Photo Editor: Beauty Filter (gb.artfilter.tenvarnist)
Photo Editor: Retouch & Cutout (de.nineergysh.quickarttwo)
Photo Editor: Art Filters (gb.painnt.moonlightingnine)
Photo Editor - Design Maker (gb.twentynine.redaktoridea)
Photo Editor & Background Eraser (de.photoground.twentysixshot)
Photo & Exif Editor (de.xnano.photoexifeditornine)
Photo Editor - Filters Effects (de.hitopgop.sixtyeightgx)
Photo Filters & Effects (de.sixtyonecollice.cameraroll)
Photo Editor : Blur Image (de.instgang.fiftyggfife)
Photo Editor : Cut, Paste (de.fiftyninecamera.rollredactor)
Emoji Keyboard: Stickers & GIF (gb.crazykey.sevenboard)
Neon Theme Keyboard (com.neonthemekeyboard.app)
Neon Theme - Android Keyboard (com.androidneonkeyboard.app)
Cashe Cleaner (com.cachecleanereasytool.app)
Fancy Charging (com.fancyanimatedbattery.app)
FastCleaner: Cashe Cleaner (com.fastcleanercashecleaner.app)
Call Skins - Caller Themes (com.rockskinthemes.app)
Funny Caller (com.funnycallercustomtheme.app)
CallMe Phone Themes (com.callercallwallpaper.app)
InCall: Contact Background (com.mycallcustomcallscrean.app)
MyCall - Call Personalization (com.mycallcallpersonalization.app)
Caller Theme (com.caller.theme.slow)
Caller Theme (com.callertheme.firstref)
Funny Wallpapers - Live Screen (com.funnywallpapaerslive.app)
4K Wallpapers Auto Changer (de.andromo.ssfiftylivesixcc)
NewScrean: 4D Wallpapers (com.newscrean4dwallpapers.app)
Stock Wallpapers & Backgrounds (de.stockeighty.onewallpapers)
Notes - reminders and lists (com.notesreminderslists.app)
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