New Android Adware on Google Play More Aggressive than Ever

[securitybreach]

Bitdefender has found 10 Google Play apps that have been packed full of aggressive adware to either subscribe users to premium-rated numbers using scareware messages or install additional apps that pack in even more ads.

 

The apps (including the “What is my ip?” app still available on Google Play) were designed to use a different name when installed to give users a hard time identifying and uninstalling them.

 

Once installed, they create a desktop shortcut named “System Manager.” If someone figures out that one of these apps is responsible for all the browser redirects and scareware messages, he’ll have a hard time finding and uninstalling the app in the Application Manager menu as it hides under the vague new name and not, for instance, “What is my ip?” Less tech-savvy users will be thrown off the scent and the app will remain installed and running indefinitely.

 

 

Probably one reason the apps circumvented Google’s vetting is because the URL used to redirect users doesn’t actually disseminate malicious .apk files. Its purpose is to redirect browsers – Android’s native browser, Chrome, Firefox, Facebook or even TinyBrowser – to a specially created URL that tosses users around from one ad-displaying website to another...........

 

http://www.hotforsec...?sm_id=SMGlobal

[Guest LilBambi]

Thanks Josh!