As you know, Google is now focusing more on device security and software security after hearing the never-ending security related complaints from iOS users. As part of that, Google introduced Google Play Protection program which scans and filter out the apps in your Android phone. Now the company has removed 13 very popular apps from the store after a security researcher pointed out that those apps serve malware to the user’s Android phones. According to Google, more than half a million people have already downloaded these malware-included apps from Google Play.
Most of these apps are nothing but just malware serving programs. However, very few of them were working properly as an Android game with basic functionalities, but serving high potential malware. The funny fact is that two of these apps were listed as Trending in the Google Play store games section. On Monday, ESET security researcher Lukas Stefanko revealed all information about these apps and unveiled their malware nature in a tweet on Twitter. According to him, after installing these apps, they hide their icons themselves and act as a malware in the background. In addition to that, these apps tend to download additional APK files from the web and prompt users to install them.
This is not the first time that Google is hosting malware apps in the Play store. Last year also, an auto-clicking adware named Judy was available in 41 apps in the Play Store. However, Google is very prompt in removing those type of apps which affects user privacy and security. In addition to that, the security researchers across the world are always vigilant about all these things.