Researchers came across a clicker Trojan in over 34 apps available in the Google Play Store. Interestingly, the apps were downloaded by Android users over 101 million times.
According to the researchers at Doctor Web, the malware was added to ‘general’ applications such as audio players, dictionaries, barcode scanners, and several other apps that are commonly downloaded by Android users. The researchers also noted that the apps were fully functional and exhibited no signs of glitches on its interface.
For those who are not aware, Clicker Trojans are the type of malware that operates in the background of infected devices and performs fraudulent tasks in the background without the victim’s knowledge.
All the details would be collected and sent back to the malware’s command and control server, which would revert back new commands and modules – depending on the Trojan’s settings. Some commands that are covertly performed by the victim’s device included a subscription to premium services, opening up website pages, and showing dubious content.
The researching team at Doctor Web compiled a list of the apps that contained the clicker Trojan and reported them to Google. The search giant removed several of these apps while updated a few as well to remove the malicious module.
Photo: SOPA Images via Getty Images
Read next: Is Google Losing The Battle With Harmful Android Apps?
According to the researchers at Doctor Web, the malware was added to ‘general’ applications such as audio players, dictionaries, barcode scanners, and several other apps that are commonly downloaded by Android users. The researchers also noted that the apps were fully functional and exhibited no signs of glitches on its interface.
For those who are not aware, Clicker Trojans are the type of malware that operates in the background of infected devices and performs fraudulent tasks in the background without the victim’s knowledge.
Subscriptions to premium services
The clicker Trojan titled as the Android.Click.312.origin by the research team would activate 8 hours after the app launched and would immediately start collecting information from the compromised device. The information would include details about the operating system, the device, the user’s country of residence, their time zone, and even data about the user’s internet connection.All the details would be collected and sent back to the malware’s command and control server, which would revert back new commands and modules – depending on the Trojan’s settings. Some commands that are covertly performed by the victim’s device included a subscription to premium services, opening up website pages, and showing dubious content.
The researching team at Doctor Web compiled a list of the apps that contained the clicker Trojan and reported them to Google. The search giant removed several of these apps while updated a few as well to remove the malicious module.
Photo: SOPA Images via Getty Images
Read next: Is Google Losing The Battle With Harmful Android Apps?
