Security researchers at have uncovered a fake Android app which masquerades as a battery saving app but instead steals user data and launches advert to make money for the people behind the scam.
According to the researchers at RiskIQ, the app is advertised as a battery saver app, though the app does what it says by cutting battery use and extending its time, the app also does malicious stuff too.
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"Many of the millions of scams we crawl at RiskIQ are relatively straightforward, but every once in a while we find something unique," Aaron Inness and Yonathan Klijnsma said on RiskIQ blog. "Usually, scams points to other web pages, but in this case, we noticed one that redirects victims who click to Google Play, where they are served a malicious app."
The researchers explained that the infection all starts with an advert displaying a fake warning for mobile devices, advising them to clean their device so as to help improve the device performance.
The advert displays an install and a cancel button giving the person an option to choose from. However, the scammers employed a trickish ploy which directs the person to a download page when they click on install or even the cancel button. Clicking the back button on the ad page too will generate a pop-up which will then try to persuade the user to proceed with the installation of the malicious app.
As earlier explained by the researchers, the app monitors and kills off process consuming lot of energy once installed.
However, the app comes with an ad-clicking backdoor which also steals information such as IMEI, device type, brand, model, IMEI, location and other information from the device. The app also has the ability to read the users SMS messages which the hackers use to deliver ad links for the app to click.
More about the malicious app can be found on RiskIQ blog.