FYI: These 38 apps should be removed from Android devices

Written by James Delahunty @ 17 Jun 2020 7:21

Google has removed 38 popular applications from the Play Store due to alleged fraudulent activity after a combined 20 million+ downloads.

A White Ops report details how thirty-eight apps - most of which are selfie apps that add filters to users' pictures - engaged in fraudulent ad activity and made it difficult for most users to uninstall the app from their devices.
The activity, which falls afoul of Google's policies, included:

Out-of-Context (OOC) Ads: Rendering OOC ads including native and interstitial, from major ad-networks.
Out-of-Context Navigation: Launching out-of-context navigation intents to URLs received from the command and control server (C2).
Removal of App Icon: Remove the app icon from the device's home and apps folder, to make it difficult for the user to uninstall the app.

Google has already removed apps from its Play Store, but what's worrying is that apps were downloaded a whopping 20 million times before removal.

In addition to showing ads on Android even when not in use and hijacking ad screens from other apps, the apps also hid in the operating system so that they could not be easily removed by less experienced users who can't navigate through Android settings easily.

Here is a complete list of the offending apps and their download tally before removal:

Yoroko Camera - 100k installation
Cell Camera - 500k installation
Lite Beauty Camera - a million installations
Beauty Collage Lite - 500k installation
Beauty & Filters Camera - a million installations
Photo Collage & Beauty Camera - 100k installations
Beauty Camera Selfie Filter - 10k installation
Gaty Beauty Camera - 500k installation
Pand Selfie Beauty Camera - 50k installation
Caoon Photo Editor & Selfie Beauty Camera - a million installs
Benbu Selfie Beauty Camera - one million installations
Stacks Selfie Beauty Camera & Photo Editor - one million installations
Mood Photo Editor & Selfie Beauty Camera - 500k installation
Rose Photo Editor & Selfie Beauty Camera - a million installations
Selfie Beauty Camera & Photo Editor - 100k installation
Fog Selfie Beauty Camera - 100k installation
First Selfie Beauty Camera & Photo Editor - 500k installation
Vanu Selfie Beauty Camera - 100k installation
Sun Pro Beauty Camera - one million installations
Funny Sweet Beauty Camera - 500k installation
Little Bee Beauty Camera - a million installations
Beauty Camera & Photo Editor Pro - one million installations
Grass Beauty Camera - a million installations
Gesture Beauty Camera - a million installations
Flower Beauty Camera - 100k installation
Best Selfie Beauty Camera - A Million Installations
Orange Camera - 500k installation
Sunny Beauty Camera - a million installations
Pro Selfie Beauty Camera - 500k installation
Selfie Beauty Camera Pro - a million installations
Elegant Beauty Cam-2019 - 50k installation

The apps can be removed under Apps (or Applications) in Android Settings, or by searching for a list of all the apps installed on your device.

To read more about how the fraudulent apps operated, read the original White Ops Article which covers the analysis done by the White Ops Satori Threat Intelligence and Research Team.

Tags: Android Google

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FYI: These 38 apps should be removed from Android devices

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