The Android mobile operating system is the worlds most popular operating system and that makes it a target for cybercriminals and malware authors.
As an Android user, downloading apps outside of the Google Play Store is not safe, and so Google always advise users to stick to the Play Store. But when we closely look at it, does Google really offer Android users the same protection as Apple does iOS users? the simple answer is no.
Some days ago, ESET security researcher Lukas Stefenko uncovered 13 malware laden apps on the Google Play Store. These malware apps masqueraded in the Play Store as gaming apps and more than half a million downloads from unsuspecting users.
According to several tweets made by Stefenko detailing about the malware apps, the apps were developed by Luiz O Pinto. Once a user download and install any of the apps, the apps would hide their icons and then download an additional app and then make the user install it which then makes the targets device slow.
The most funny aspect is that two of the malware laden apps were among the trending apps on the Play Store.
Though Stefanko has reported the apps to Google, the security researcher as at that time could not confirm what type of malware that was being distributed, though he believes that it was an adware malware campaign targeted towards unsuspecting users to generate illegal revenue.
A look up results at VirusTotal shows at least fifteen top anti-virus scanners to have flagged the apps to have the Android trojan called "HEUR:Trojan.AndroidOS.Piomyqim."
According to kaspersky threats, "the malware uses different methods to display as many ads as possible to the user, including by installing new adware. These Trojans can get root privileges in order to hide in the system folder, which makes the Trojans very difficult to remove,"
Google has removed the malicious apps from the Play Store.