43 Malicious Apps Removed from Google Play Store: Google Play Store is the largest platform worldwide for downloading apps. With over 3 million Android apps and games available on the Play Store, it serves as a hub for users seeking software. However, Google has been consistently enforcing new rules to combat the presence of malicious apps that violate its policies. These malicious apps manage to infiltrate the Play Store and make their way onto Android phones. According to a recent report, 43 fake apps have been eradicated from the Google Play Store, as they were surreptitiously draining users’ phone batteries.
Search engine giant Google has taken action by removing these 43 malicious apps from the Play Store. Reports suggest that these apps continued to load onto devices even when the user’s phone was turned off. These apps collectively garnered more than 2.5 million downloads. Furthermore, they were also consuming mobile data even when the devices were powered down.
McAfee’s Team Traces Malicious Apps: The initial discovery of these malicious apps was made by McAfee’s Mobile Research Team. They alerted Google about these apps that were violating the Play Store’s policies. Most of these apps have been removed from the Play Store, while some developers have issued updates. McAfee has advised users to promptly delete these apps if they are present on their smartphones.
In a blog post, McAfee stated, ‘Recently, McAfee’s Mobile Research Team identified troubling behavior in some apps available on the Google Play Store. These apps were loading ads even when the device’s screen was turned off, which initially may seem convenient for users. However, displaying ads in this manner directly violates Google Play’s developer policy. This not only impacts advertisers who pay for invisible ads but also rapidly depletes users’ phone batteries. In addition to data consumption, there is a risk of user information being leaked.’
The list of removed apps from the Play Store encompasses a variety of app types, including TV/DMB players, music downloaders, news, and calendar apps. If any of these 43 apps are present on your Android phone, it is recommended to delete them immediately.
Vigilance during App Downloads from Play Store: Exercising caution while downloading apps from the Play Store is crucial. Keep your Android phone up to date and install the latest security and software patches. Employ a security app to safeguard your device from malware.
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