Google has banned popular Android apps from its Play Store with a warning that users must delete them from their devices. According to Express' latest report, 30 popular Android apps were removed by Google to stop smartphone owners from purchasing the dodgy apps.
A warning was issued by security researchers stating that Android users must uninstall the apps if they already have one of them on their smartphones
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The applications were removed from the Google Play Store after it was discovered that they could bombard Android users with intrusive browser redirects and unwanted advertisements, leading the users to unwanted websites without even clicking the links.
WhiteOps was believed to have been responsible for the adware-packed and malicious apps. Security researchers believe that a criminal group was behind the scheme.
The software, designed to mainly target the selfie and beauty market, was first deployed to the Google Play Store by the cyber attackers back in January 2019. It was reported that a few weeks after the malicious software was uploaded by the group, Google's protection service made efforts to delete most of the apps during the earlier period of the malicious attacks.
Despite Google's actions, the apps were downloaded 500,000 times, making the scope of the attack significantly large. Things got worse when the criminals changed their tactics in September 2019.
Google banned popular Android apps from its Play Store: Lite Beauty Camera, Yoroko Camera and more
The threats were able to bypass Google's security because the malicious codes were hidden or completely deleted. However, although the malicious software was deleted, a simple update of Google can re-enable the adware.
To ensure the safety of its users, Google removed all of the apps developed by WhiteOps from its marketplace, even those that appeared to be harmless.
"The White Ops Satori Threat Intelligence and Research Team recently identified and tracked a fraud operation that rendered fraudulent advertising in users' devices. These apps amassed more than 20 million downloads," explained WhiteOps in a post on its website.
Below are some of the apps that were deleted and how many times they were downloaded.
- Beauty Collage Lite: 500,000 installs
- Solu Camera: 500,000 installs
- Yoroko Camera: 100,000 installs
- Photo Collage & Beauty Camera: 100,0000 installs
- Beauty Camera Selfie Filter: 10,000 installs
- Lite Beauty Camera: 1 million installs
- Pand Selfie Beauty Camera: 50,000 installs
- Beauty & Filters Camera: 1 million installs
- Gaty Beauty Camera: 500,000 installs
- Vanu Selfie Beauty Camera: 100,000 installs
- Sun Pro Beauty Camera: 1 million installs
- Fog Selfie Beauty Camera: 100,000 installs
- First Selfie Beauty Camera & Photo Editor: 5000,000 installs
- Rose Photo Editor & Selfie Beauty Camera: 1 million installs
- Mood Photo Editor & Selfie Beauty Camera: 500,000 installs
- Benbu Selfie Beauty Camera: 1 million installs
- Pinut Selfie Beauty Camera & Photo Editor: 1 million installs
- Cartoon Photo Editor & Selfie Beauty Camera: 1 million installs
