Advertising Android malware from the Play Store penetrated 2 million devices

[Carding 4 Carders]

Several malicious Android apps hosted on the Google Play Store have made their way to more than two million mobile devices. Their task is to display intrusive advertising, hiding their presence in the system.

Dr. Web specialists told Advara about the latest kit. According to them, these apps belong to the well-known families of mobile malware: FakeApp, Joker, and HiddenAds.

Researchers were particularly interested in four programs disguised as games (related to HiddenAds):

• Super Skibydi Killer — 1 million downloads.
• Agent Shooter — 500 thousand downloads.
• Rainbow Stretch — 50 thousand downloads.
• Rubber Punch 3D — 500 thousand downloads.

Immediately after installation, advare masks its icon under Google Chrome or hides it with a transparent image. Malware attempts to work unnoticed in the background and generate profit for operators by using intrusive advertising.

Doctor Web noted the connection of the FakeApp family of applications with fraudulent investment web projects, as well as with online casinos. Among them:

• Eternal Maze (Yana Pospyelova) – 50,000 downloads.
• Jungle Jewels (Vaibhav Wable) – 10,000 downloads.
• Stellar Secrets (Pepperstocks) – 10,000 downloads.
• Fire Fruits (Sandr Sevill) – 10,000 downloads.
• Cowboy's Frontier (Precipice Game Studios) – 10 000 загрузок.
• Enchanted Elixir (Acomadyi) – 10,000 downloads

As for the Joker family, this class of software is trying to give mobile device owners subscriptions to paid services:

• Love Emoji Messenger (Korsinka Vimoipan) – 50,000 downloads.
• Beauty Wallpaper HD (fm0989184) – 1,000 downloads.