RESEARCHERS have uncovered two spyware apps that could be stealing Android users’ data.
To date, the spyware apps have been downloaded more than 1.5 million times, per researchers at Pradeo.
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Dubbed ‘File Recovery and Data Recovery’ and ‘File Manager,’ the purported to be file management software.
This, Pradeo noted, is how the apps were able to trick users into installing them.
“They are programmed to launch without users’ interaction and to silently exfiltrate sensitive users’ data,” Pradeo said.
Once extracted, the data was then sent to a remote server controlled by the attackers in China.
The apps collected a wide range of data from users’ devices, including their contacts, call logs, SMS messages, and location data.
Other stolen data included media, such as pictures, audio, or video, network provider name, and device brand and model
Meanwhile, on Google Play, the apps both claim that they do not collect any data from users’ devices.
“Furthermore, they announce that if data was collected, users could not request it to be deleted, which is against most data protection laws like the GDPR,” Pradeo said.
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Since uncovering the threats, Google has removed the apps from the Play Store.
However, it’s still possible that many users have the malicious software installed on their devices.
WHAT TO DO
If you have either of these apps installed on your device, you should uninstall them immediately.
There are also a few other things you can do to protect yourself from malware apps.
For starters, only install apps from trusted developers. You will want to research an app online and check reviews as well.
Make sure to thoroughly read the “Data Safety” section of the app’s listing before installing it.
Lastly, ensure that you are keeping your Android device up to date with the latest security patches.
