google play
Android malware Anatsa infiltrates Google Play to target US banks
The Anatsa banking trojan has sneaked into Google Play once more via an app posing as a PDF viewer that counted more than 50,000 downloads. The malware becomes active on the device immediately after installing the app, tracking users launching North American banking apps and serving them an overlay that allows accessing the account, keylogging, or automating transactions. According […]
Malware on Google Play, App Store stole your photos—and crypto
A new mobile crypto-stealing malware called SparkKitty was found in apps on Google Play and the Apple App Store, targeting Android and iOS devices. The malware is a possible evolution of SparkCat, which Kaspersky discovered in January. SparkCat used optical character recognition (OCR) to steal cryptocurrency wallet recovery phrases from images saved on infected devices. When […]
New Android malware uses Microsoft’s .NET MAUI to evade detection
New Android malware campaigns use Microsoft’s cross-platform framework .NET MAUI while disguising as legitimate services to evade detection. The tactic was observed by McAfee’s Mobile Research Team, a member of the App Defense Alliance dedicated to enhancing Android security. Although the apps McAfee observed target users in China and India, uncovering the attacks is important […]
Malicious Android ‘Vapor’ apps on Google Play installed 60 million times
Over 300 malicious Android applications downloaded 60 million items from Google Play acted as adware or attempted to steal credentials and credit card information. The operation was first uncovered by IAS Threat Lab, who categorized the malicious activity under the name “Vapor” and said it has been ongoing since early 2024. IAS identified 180 apps as part […]
New North Korean Android spyware slips onto Google Play
A new Android spyware named ‘KoSpy’ is linked to North Korean threat actors who have infiltrated Google Play and third-party app store APKPure through at least five malicious apps. According to Lookout researchers, the spyware is attributed to the North Korean threat group APT37 (aka ‘ScarCruft’). The campaign has been active since March 2022, with the […]
BadBox malware disrupted on 500K infected Android devices
The BadBox Android malware botnet has been disrupted again by removing 24 malicious apps from Google Play and sinkholing communications for half a million infected devices. The BadBox botnet is a cyber-fraud operation targeting primarily low-cost Android-based devices like TV streaming boxes, tablets, smart TVs, and smartphones. These devices either come pre-loaded with the BadBox […]
SpyLend Android malware downloaded 100,000 times from Google Play
An Android malware app called SpyLend has been downloaded over 100,000 times from Google Play, where it masqueraded as a financial tool but became a predatory loan app for those in India. The app falls under a group of malicious Android applications called “SpyLoan,” which pretend to be legitimate financial tools or loan services but […]
Google blocked 2.36 million risky Android apps from Play Store in 2024
Google blocked 2.3 million Android app submissions to the Play Store in 2024 due to violations of its policies that made them potentially risky for users. In addition, 158,000 developer accounts were banned for attempting to publish harmful apps like malware and spyware on Android’s official app store. In comparison, Google blocked 2,280,000 risky apps in 2023 and 1,500,000 […]
New Android Identity Check locks settings outside trusted locations
Google has announced a new Android “Identity Check” security feature that lock sensitive settings behind biometric authentication when outside a trusted location. The new feature is part of Anroid’s theft protection suite, which includes features like last year’s Theft Detection Lock, which is now rolling out to more Android device models. The new Identity Check feature is […]
SpyLoan Android malware on Google play installed 8 million times
A new set of 15 SpyLoan Android malware apps with over 8 million installs was discovered on Google Play, targeting primarily users from South America, Southeast Asia, and Africa. The apps were discovered by McAfee, a member of the ‘App Defense Alliance,’ and have now been removed from Android’s official app store. However, their presence on […]