A cybersecurity company has uncovered a malware campaign found in both iOS and Android apps. It allows malicious actors to bombard users with ads.
The security researchers from “Human” have found dozens of apps in Apple’s App Store and Google’s Play Store that are infected with so-called adware. Again and again, hackers smuggle their malicious apps past the security measures of the app stores. This is why virus-infected apps for iOS and Android are often only found when they are already installed on many smartphones.
Adware viruses in iOS and Android are nothing new
The adware campaign is an advertising scam. This is a known problem: According to the Human Security Report, it is now the third wave, after similar campaigns in 2019 and 2020. The “Satori Threat Intelligence & Research” team uncovered the operation in 2019 and gave it the name “Poseidon”. . The offshoots of the operation are “Charybdis” (2020) and currently “Scylla”.
Adware fraud allows malicious actors to load apps with ads. However, you can also program the apps in such a way that the advertising is invisible to users. This allows them to receive payment from advertisers without actually showing their ads.
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Affected users should delete the apps immediately
Human has reported the results to Apple and Google as part of its research. Both companies have now deleted the affected apps from their stores. However, if the apps are already installed on the iPhone or Android smartphone, they are not automatically removed. Users must therefore lend a hand and delete them from their smartphones.
In total, 9 iOS apps and 75 Android apps are affected by the adware campaign. Together, the apps have been downloaded more than 13 million times. An abridged overview of virus-infected iOS and Android apps can be found here:
| iOS |
|---|
| Loot the Castle |
| Run Bridge |
| Shinning Gun |
| Racing Legend 3D |
| rope runner |
| Wood Sculptor |
| fire wall |
| Ninja critical hit |
| Android | |
|---|---|
| Super Hero Save the world! | 1,000,000 downloads |
| Spot 10 differences | 1,000,000 downloads |
| Find 5 Differences – New | 1,000,000 downloads |
| Dinosaur legend | 1,000,000 downloads |
| One line drawing | 1,000,000 downloads |
| Shoot master | 1,000,000 downloads |
| Talent Trap – NEW | 1,000,000 downloads |
| Arrow Coins | 500,000 downloads |
| Parking master | 500,000 downloads |
The complete list is available on the Humansecurity reports.
How to protect yourself
Both Google and Apple have continued to have problems with malware getting into the app stores despite safeguards. The responsibility therefore lies largely with the users. You should make sure that you only install apps from reliable developers, if possible. If you are unsure, the app ratings in the App Store can often help. If there are many negative voices and warnings here, you should keep your hands off the app.