Android phone warning over FAKE security apps in Google Store – avoid these 35 dodgy downloads
The sneaky scam apps have been downloaded more than 6million times
ANDROID phone owners are being warned over fake security apps that have a sinister secret.
Instead of providing you with proper security benefits, they instead simply serve you ads – to make their creators money.
The devious scam was exposed by cybersecurity firm ESET, on its blog.
Experts tracked down 35 rogue apps on the Google Play Store that are actually "ad slingers".
This means they claim to do one job, but actually just dish out advertisements to you.
In this case, all of the ads pretended to be security apps, purportedly keeping you safe online.
Unsurprisingly, they didn't do the job very well.
"In order to stay under the radar, all the shady ad-displaying apps mimic actual mobile security solutions," explained ESET's Lukas Stefanko.
"However, their ‘detection mechanisms’ are incomplete and very primitive, which makes them easy to bypass and prone to false positives."
For instance, one security app claimed to lock your apps – preventing outsiders from gaining access.
But there was a fatal flaw with the app's design, it turned out.
"An attacker with physical access to the device can change the app-locking password without knowing the old one," the ESET report explains.
Rogue security apps – which ones to look out for
Here's the full list from ESET...
- Virus Cleaner Antivirus 2017 - Clean Virus Booster
- Super Antivirus & Virus Cleaner (Applock, Cleaner)
- hAntivirus - Security
- Antivirus Security free
- Antivirus 2018
- Antivirus Clean
- Security Antivirus 2018
- Max Security - Antivirus&Booster &Cleaner
- Antivirus Cleaner - Virus Scanner And Junk Remover
- Antivirus Security Free
- Antivirus Cleaner For Android & App Locker Pattern
- Antivirus Security
- Smadav antivirus for android 2018
- Antivirus Free : Process Virus
- TV Antivirus Free + Applock
- Antivirus Virus Cleaner - Security Applock 2017
- Super Security-Anti Virus, Phone Cleaner & Booster
- Antivirus Free + Virus Cleaner + Security App
- Antivirus Pro - Virus Cleaner - Boost Mobile free
- Virus Clean Antivirus - Cpu Cooler & Ram Master
- 360 Secure Antivirus
- Antivirus Cleaner Booster
- Antivirus Android 2018
- Antivirus & Virus Remover 2018
- Antivirus Free 2018
- Kara Security Manager Antivirus
- Security Antivirus 2018
- Antivirus & Virus Cleaner & Security
- Master Antivirus Booster App Lock
- Virus Cleaner - Antivirus,Booster,Security&AppLock
- Smart Security Antivirus & Applocker & Cleaner
- Antivirus 2017 & Virus Removal
- Energy Antivirus Cleaner
- Antivirus Master-Applock Pro
- AntiVirus Mobile Security for Android - Free
Together, the apps had been downloaded and installed more than 6million times.
It's worth noting that these apps didn't actually do anything bad to you – they wouldn't steal your info or raid your bank account.
But they wouldn't keep you safe, as expected.
"The only harm they do is displaying annoying ads, making false-positive detections and giving the victim a false sense of security," Stefanko warned.
"However, those millions of unwary users who downloaded them could easily have ended up downloading true malware in some similar disguise."
All of the apps listed in the report have been removed from the Play Store by Google.
But it's worth checking your device to make sure you haven't accidentally downloaded one of these rogue apps.
MOST READ IN TECH
This isn't the first time we've seen warnings over dodgy apps.
Earlier today, we warned over a new iPhone fingerprint scam that lands victims with a £100 bill.
And earlier this week, we revealed 13 popular Android games that were secretly malware – so make sure you delete them immediately.
Have you spotted any sinister smartphone scams recently? Let us know in the comments!
We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at [email protected] or call 0207 782 4368 . We pay for videos too. Click here to upload yours.