Google pulls 13 malware apps from the Play Store that have been installed over 500,000 times

Google was quick to pull 13 malware-ridden apps from the Play Store. But not before these apps have been downloaded by at least 500,000 users, at least according to a researcher who reported how these malicious apps got into the store. The 13 Android apps included car and truck driving simulations with a couple getting into the store’s trending section even. The apps don’t have really work and crash every time they were launched but these hid in the phones to make it easier to install malware. According to ESET security researcher Lukas Stefanko, these apps have been downloaded over 560,000 times with a single developer named Luiz Pinto being credited for making them. Stefanko details in a series of tweets how these apps operate and that these would ask to install an additional APK, which you can see in action in this link.

However, as NDTV Gadgets points out, this isn’t the first time malicious apps have showed up in the Play Store. There was an auto-clicking adware last year called Judy found in 41 apps and affected between 8.5 and 36.5 million Android devices. There was also a botnet malware called FalseGuide that infected millions of Android devices via Google Play.

Malware disguises as Google Chrome download link on Microsoft Edge

We already know about the running joke of Microsoft Edge existing so you can download Google Chrome. But apparently Bing is causing a bit of trouble as it is supposedly returning search results that have malware and adware. Twitter user Gabriel Landau discovered this when he was searched “download chrome” on Bing, using the Microsoft Edge browser. He clicked on the first link that was marked as being from “google.com” and leads to a page that looks like the legitimate Google Chrome download page. But upon closer inspection, the URL of the page says “googleonline2018.com.” And if you don’t pay attention, you would think you were downloading the browser’s installer from the legitimate site. It even says you’re downloading “ChromeSetup.exe” when you press on the Download Chrome button. But when checking the file’s properties, it shows that it’s digitally signed by a company named Alpha Criteria, which isn’t Google.

How To Geek investigated the matter and found that the site is marked as a “deceptive site” by Chrome but it isn’t flagged as such by Microsoft Edge and Bing. The big problem here is it seems Bing isn’t checking the URL off the search result, which could make this deception easier to pull off. And it seems an issue like this has happened earlier in the year. Microsoft told How To Geek the fake ad has been taken down and accounts associated with the malicious content have been banned. However, they didn’t give an explanation on why the ad was marked as from “google.com” or that there will be an assurance that this won’t happen again.

Source: Digital Trends

Google takes down gaming apps found with pornographic malware

Over 60 games in the Google Play Store, many seemingly targeted towards children, have been found to contain malware that has pornographic ads. Researchers from security firm Check Point discovered the malware called AdultSwine and have found them in apps that have already been downloaded over three million times. Some of the titles include Mcqueen Car Racing Game, Subway Banana Run Surf, and Paw Puppy Run Subway Surf. According to Check Point, Google took action hours after they were informed of the issue.

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McAfee study names Shawn Mendes as 'Canada's Most Dangerous Celebrity in 2017'

Canadian pop rock musician Shawn Mendes dethrones Justin Beiber as the country's most dangerous celebrity to search for online when it comes to exposing their fans to malicious websites. According to this study from McAfee, the list usually covers all kinds of celebrities but this year the musicians dominate the list. Returnees include Justin Beiber (No. 2), Avril Lavigne (No. 3), and Drake (No. 6). The other Canadian musicians part of the list include Celine Dion (No. 4),  Carly Rae Jepsen (No. 5), and Alessia Cara (No. 7). McAfee cautions people to be careful what they click on when they're online. For example, if you're trying to sneak a peek at new Shawn Mendes material, it would be best to wait for the official release and searching for things like "Free MP3s" can mostly lead you to risky, malware-infested sites. The computer security software company recommends using some of its tools like the McAfee WebAdvisor and McAfee Total Protection.