Hackers Are Copying Legitimate Smartphone Apps to Inject Spyware | How to Avoid Them

Fake smartphone apps are almost everywhere, and it's a matter of careful assessment before you detect them as suspicious software.

According to cybersecurity researchers, hackers use malicious apps that disguise themselves as legitimate applications.

Cybercriminals rely on this tactic to inject spyware into their Android device, which can steal confidential information from them, such as email addresses, passwords, and bank account details.

Pradeo Reports Third-Party Websites Promoting Fake Apps

In an initial report from Pradeo, a mobile security solutions firm, the hackers are using fake apps outside the official Google Play Store. It was found that over 700 websites have third-party app stores.

We know that when an app is not available in the Play Store, the users could search for its alternative to APK websites. However, the danger here is that they are installing an app from an unscanned and unreliable source.

Somehow, the hackers take advantage of these sites by deceiving the users to download the apps. Once they are downloaded to a device, the malware will be automatically injected into the system.

The researchers are aware that a wide number of app copies are circulating on the open web. Some people prefer using these applications because they offer premium features for free.

While they are easy to access, it's important to know that they pose more harm than good to the users. Since some of them can bypass security alerts, it's hard to determine if they contain spyware or malware.

Threat Actors Use Phishing Emails to Lure Victims

ZDNet reported earlier this week that the hackers rely on phishing campaigns that will trick the victims into getting the app at no additional charge.

It should be noted that these malicious applications are everywhere in search engines. Most likely, they come in the form of cracked apps.

The users should be aware that these fake smartphone apps can access their devices. As such, the planted spyware can track your location and exploit your sensitive information.

As always, the experts warn that it's risky to download the apps from a third-party site since there's a chance that they contain malware that might hit your device.

How to Avoid These Fake Smartphone Applications

In the same report, ZDNET urged the users to stick to the official app stores if they want to download a legit app. In this way, they can avoid potential security and privacy risks posed by malware-infested applications.

Another tip that you can do is to restart your device once you suspect that you have downloaded a malware-ridden app. This would further prevent the hackers from accessing your online activities and your pictures, videos, and other confidential data.

According to the Google support page, always make sure that your Google Play Protect is turned on so that you can detect the harmful apps swarming on your device.

This article is owned by Tech Times

Written by Joseph Henry