More than 29,000 malicious Android apps still active on Google Play Store. There are actually 29,000 malicious Android applications running around in the Google Play Store, ready to attack naively enough for anyone to download.
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Harmful Apps
Upstream is the security firm that identified the list of shady programs; they reported that the apps are still active during Q1 of 2020. According to Tech Radar, the investigation finds that 90% of the ten top-ranking malicious apps are still active, and available to download on Google Play Store.
Malicious Android Apps
The report suggests that hackers are constantly finding ways to get their apps listed on the app store to circumvent Google’s vetting system.
Developers getting Advantage of COVID-19
Upstream’s Geoffrey Cleaves says the increase of malicious Android apps can be attributed to the pandemic, which has forced vast numbers of the world’s population to stay home. Cleave has observed a dramatic rise in ‘leisure devices’ since the global shutdown that is what he categorizes applications such as sports, social, audio, and news media consumption programs.
Also Read: Google deleted Indian App that deleted Chinese Apps
These leisure applications trick users into subscribing to premium services-Snaptube is a popular example of such an app. The software is used to download videos from the internet and has been installed over 40 million times worldwide. Secure-D, Upstream’s anti-fraud platform, has reportedly blocked 32 million shady Snaptube-related transactions alone in 2020.
Every time Protect Yourself
So, before downloading anything from the Google Play Store, or anything off the internet for that matter, remember to practice due diligence and first press the ‘Download’ button for Google to check it out.
