In a recent study, McAfee found more than a dozen malware apps in Google Play Store. Rather than optimizing Android phones and eliminating spyware, malware, and other adware, these cleaning apps were promoted on Facebook and displayed Tech Radar reports that the Play Store has removed the following apps: Junk Cleaner, Easy Cleaner, Power Doctor, Windy Clean, Keep Clean, Quick Cleaner, Fingertip Cleaner, Full Clean - Clean Cache, Super Clean, Strong Clean, Carpet Clean, Meteor Clean, and Cool Clean.

If the malware apps are not removed from the Android phone, they will continue to display ads permanently. If a user terminates the service, it will restart as long as the phone remains active. The McAfee Mobile Research Team found malware on the Google Play Store late last week, according to a report. Typically, malware acts as cleaner apps that delete junk files or optimize batteries. Computer security software companies state that the malware displays advertisements to victims continuously.

Further, McAfee warned that malicious apps can change their appearance so that they appear to be a Google Play icon or Setting icon, preventing users from realizing they are malicious. According to McAfee, malicious apps disguise themselves frequently to stay on a user's device for a long period. The makers of the malware launched Facebook advertising pages, according to McAfee. Users downloaded the apps by clicking on links distributed on legitimate Facebook pages, according to the computer security firm. More than 7 million people have downloaded the apps worldwide.

Thousands of users worldwide have installed the malware apps, most of whom are in Brazil, South Korea, and Japan, according to McAfee telemetry data. Dr. Web reported last week that it found dozens of malicious apps on the Play Store, including adware Trojans that were “designed to display intrusive.”As of yet, Meta has not made a statement regarding the distribution of download links through Facebook Pages.

source:ibtimes