Billions of Android users warned to check for 193 bank-emptying apps – delete them NOW if they’re on your phone

ANDROID owners have been warned over a long string of gaming apps that are disguising malware and could be silently exploiting devices.

Following an investigation into the Google Play Store, a team of researchers at cybersecurity firm CloudSEK discovered that there were 193 apps that have been infected with malicious software that are on people’s phones.

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These apps have more than 30million downloads collectively.

The nine most popular malicious apps have more than 12.5million downloads between them:

1. HexaPop Link 2248 (5million+ downloads)
2. Macaron Match (1million+ downloads)
3. Macaron Boom (1million+ downloads)
4. Jelly Connect (1million+ downloads)
5. Tiler Master (1million+ downloads)
6. Crazy Magic Ball (1million+ downloads)
7. Bitcoin Master (1million+ downloads)
8. Happy 2048 (1million+ downloads)
9. Mega Win Slots (500,000+ downloads)

It means that millions of Android owners have unknowingly downloaded apps that are designed to raid personal data and files, spy on activity and compromise sensitive information, such as passwords or bank details.

Over 40 of these compromised apps are still available for download on the Google Play Store, according to the investigation.

This puts a “larger user base at risk of potential privacy breaches and data exfiltration”, the team said in a statement.

Google has a fairly good track record of deleting apps which breach its privacy and safety guidelines.

But scammers act fast and when one app is taken down, various others emerge in its place.

What concerned researchers most, however, is that these apps mostly fall into the gaming category.

Not only does this put children, as well as adults, at risk of inviting malware into devices.

But poorly made games designed to give short bursts of dopamine are often played briefly before being forgotten and left on devices – which is bad news if they’re infected with malware.

It’s always best to limit a device’s exposure to malicious software, as it can steal or corrupt messages, photos, videos, files and even passwords.

With surveillance malware, it’s easy to watch someone log into their banking app through their phone.

CloudSEK has advised Android owners to use security apps such as BeVigil, which rate all the apps you download on their safety, and whether there’s any potential threats lurking.

The Sun has contacted Google for comment.

Full list of the 193 apps:

1. Chip Winner 2048
2. iSecurity – Virus Cleaner
3. Quick Loan Pro
4. Calculator Lock – Photos Vault
5. Pixel Battle
6. Ztime:Earn cash rewards easily
7. Pop Stone 2 – Match 3 Game
8. Gem Puzzle
9. Real Money:Play Games Earn
10. Vast VPN – Secure VPN Proxy
11. Fast Booster Box
12. Channel3
13. Make Money – Game Time
14. Woohoo – Real Cash Games
15. Earn Money: Squid Game
16. Cash Game: Money Puppy
17. LuckyYou
18. Hello VPN-Fast & Secure
19. Dong Bao
20. HotBuku-Alat Pembaca Novel Profesional dan Populer
21. Yeloli Princess Makeup
22. много монет
23. Yeloli Princess Makeup
24. UangNyata:hasilkan & permainan
25. Fast Loan Plus
26. Crazy Christmas Tree
27. Pop Diamonds
28. Cash All – Earn real money
29. Merge snack-Overfood
30. Vegas Coin Pusher
31. Crazy Cut Money
32. Lucky Cashman-Real Money&Paid
33. Lucky Slots: Real Money& Spin
34. TappyCoins
35. Pet Connect – cute pets match
36. Lucky Coin Pusher -3D
37. Money Tree Garden
38. Chips Winner
39. Mega Win Slots
40. SuperFastVPN-UnlimitedVPN
41. Magical Pet:Pop Match
42. Neutral Solitaire
43. BTC LINKED
44. Lucky Dog Videos
45. Hexa Link – 2248 Connect Puzzle
46. Ganho Casual
47. Bitcoin 2 Moon
48. Pop Pop Balls
49. Fruits Legend: Farm Frenzy
50. Fruit Bubble Smash
51. BTC Fall
52. Sweet Fruit Smash
53. Funny Hoop
54. Go Break
55. Step Going
56. Funny Block
57. Squid Gem
58. Lucky Cube Blast
59. NA
60. Cube Master 3D
61. Merge Crazy Bal
62. Grand Win Solitaire
63. ChipWin To 21:Merge game
64. Bubble Shooter Hero
65. Bingo Day: Lucky to Win
66. Cookie Crush
67. Winning Slot : Mystic Pharaoh
68. HexaPop Link 2248
69. Dropping Balls
70. Crazy Magic Ball
71. Bird Linked
72. BigBang PopStar – Pongs Puzzle
73. Chain One Line
74. Jewels Crush Fever – Match 3 Jewel Blast
75. Tropical Fruit Blast
76. Bubble Spinner
77. Merge hexagon jewel – Match 3
78. Random Dice
79. Jelly Connect
80. Monster Link- Match Blast
81. Block Crush
82. Birds Merge
83. Idle Dinosaurs
84. Kitty Blast: Lucky Pet 2022!
85. Go Jump
86. Knife Master
87. Macaron Matc
88. Crazy Cut Money
89. Mood to Pop
90. Smash King
91. Lucky Eggs – Win Big Rewards
92. Mystery Solitaire Tycoon
93. candy kaboom
94. Dice Master: Jump Jump
95. Mega Jackpot Slot: Cash Winner
96. Dreamlike Candy：Sweet Merge
97. Candy Winner
98. Block Puzzle
99. Desert tree: Cash Grow Game
100. Macaron Boom
101. Word Games：BIG WIN
102. Vegas Cash Casino
103. Cube 2048
104. Crazy Pop Tree
105. Vegas Bingo
106. Street Soccer Game
107. Real Money Slots & Spin to Win
108. Bingo County: Amazing 2022
109. Crazy Bomb
110. Cookie Macaron
111. Circus coin pusher
112. Ludo Magic
113. Mystery Miner Tycoon
114. Slots Pop!
115. Bitcoin Master
116. Happy Fruit
117. Blackjack 21: Cash Poker
118. Forest Puzzle
119. Hex Puzzle
120. 2048 Lucky Cube
121. Solitaire legend
122. Cake Master: Cream Legend
123. Crazy Fruit Crush
124. Boom Match
125. Funny Macaron
126. Cute Macaron Zumba
127. Food Merger
128. Holic Macaron
129. Dessert Match Kitchen
130. Macaron Bubble
131. Bingo Slots
132. Sea Big Bang
133. Cute Liner
134. Puppy Fruit Slice
135. Crazy Zumba Fruit
136. Funny Hex Merge
137. Cash Storm Slots:Real MoneyChatMate
138. Bingo Magic Zoo: 2022 Journey
139. Farm Blast – Match Game
140. Shake Shake Sheep
141. Cat Party
142. Lucky Star: Lotto Scratch
143. Mega Lightning Slots
144. BitCoin Connect
145. Bitcoin Master -Mine Bitcoins!
146. Solitaire Mega : Win Big
147. Lucky Aquarium
148. Happy Farm Slots-harvest & win
149. Crazy Cash Dozer
150. Maya Merge – 2248 Hexa Puzzle
151. Bank Bingo Slot
152. Lucky cube
153. Diamond Miner: Surprises
154. Foodie Tiler
155. Lucky Crush
156. Lucky Woody Match-Block Blast
157. Bingo Club-Lucky to win
158. Nice PopLink 2248
159. Tiler Master
160. Food to pop
161. Fun Block Puzzle Game 2022
162. Coin Defender
163. Cash master
164. Happy Merge Bang
165. Block BigBang
166. Dominoes – Royal Master
167. Royal Knight Slice
168. Cookie Smash
169. Candy Pop Star
170. Lucky For Happy
171. Happy 2048
172. Merge Lucky Puppies
173. Holiday 2048
174. 2248 Linked
175. Street Football Star
176. Fruit Spin Blast
177. Magic Balls
178. Joy Match 3D
179. Classic Diamond Slots: Cash
180. Super Jump
181. Slot Club
182. Lucky Tile Match:Triple Crush
183. Relx cash
184. Chain Block 3D
185. Metaverse Merge
186. Block Master – Brain Games
187. Fruit Cutting Killer
188. Gem Smash
189. Smash Master
190. Dessert Crush
191. BuzzVideo-Earn money app
192. Tunai Instan
193. ClipClaps – Reward your interest

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This post first appeared on Thesun.co.uk