We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info

More than 20 million Android users have downloaded 16 apps from the Google Play Store which were secretly hiding malware. The popular applications – one of which was downloaded over 10 million times alone – were loaded with the new Clicker malware strain which is being used by cyber crooks to get illegal advertising revenue. This nasty new bug was spotted by security experts at McAfee, who informed Google of their findings with the apps later being delisted from the Play Store.

However, if you downloaded any of them before they were taken down by Google they will still remain on your Android device.

This means it’s critical for any affected users to delete these dangerous Android apps immediately. Those not heeding this advice could see their handset’s resources drained as the malware runs in the background.

That can lead to a drop in performance along with a device’s battery draining quicker than usual, overheating, as well as chunks of monthly mobile data allowance being eaten up.

This news comes hot on the heels of another stark warning recently, with Facebook earlier this month putting users on alert about over 400 Android and iPhone apps capable of stealing usernames and passwords.

Google Play Store: How to update on an Android device

Speaking about the new Android threat, McAfee in a blog post said: “Recently the McAfee Mobile Research Team has identified new Clicker malware that sneaked into Google Play. In total 16 applications that were previously on Google Play have been confirmed to have the malicious payload with an assumed 20 million installations.

“McAfee security researchers notified Google and all of the identified apps are no longer available on Google Play. Users are also protected by Google Play Protect.”

The most popular apps that had the Clicker malware were High-Speed Camera (over 10million downloads), Smart Task Manager / DxClean (more than five million installs) and Flashlight+ (over a million users).

If you are worried you can find the full list of applications here.

Anyone that downloaded the DxClean app will especially be in for a nasty surprise, as the app claimed it was meant to help improve the performance of a phone and stop niggling advert issues – but did the exact opposite.

But chances are, affected users were none the wiser to the threat until McAfee revealed it.

That’s because the malware went to great lengths to ensure users weren’t aware of something being amiss. The malicious Clicker malware would not start operating in the first hour after a compromised app was installed.

And then it delayed starting up when the user was actively using their Android device.

Victims never saw websites that were opened to generate illicit adverting funds, with all of this running in the background without a user’s knowledge.

If you want to delete an app that you have downloaded from the Google Play Store then here’s how to remove it on your Android device…

Open the Google Play Store app Google Play

At the top right, tap the profile icon

Tap Manage apps and devices and then Manage

Tap the name of the app that you want to delete

Tap Uninstall

Source: Read Full Article