Android is the most popular smartphone operating system in the world. Google’s OS has always had a few strange issues when it comes to privacy and data security. Back in December 2021, 12 Android apps were found to be stealing users’ banking information from the devices.
And, now on the same lines, 17 new apps from Google Play Store have been kicked out of Google Play Store. As per a report from Trend Micro, a security research firm, the malware apps aimed at collecting personal banking info have been growing. These apps tend to get users’ banking credentials, PINs, passwords, and any other information related to online banking apps.
These Apps Can Steal Money From Android Users’ Banking Apps
Apps that carry the malware to steal data and get past Google’s Play Store security are called dropper apps. These apps have a payload with malicious apps which are installed on phones. The following apps are harmful and you have to uninstall the immediate. Tha app name is followed by the app’s package name.
- Call Recorder APK (com.caduta.aisevsk)
- Rooster VPN (com.vpntool.androidweb)
- Super Cleaner- hyper & smart (com.j2ca.callrecorder)
- Document Scanner – PDF Creator (com.codeword.docscann)
- Universal Saver Pro (com.virtualapps.universalsaver)
- Eagle photo editor (com.techmediapro.photoediting)
- Call recorder pro+ (com.chestudio.callrecorder)
- Extra Cleaner (com.casualplay.leadbro)
- Crypto Utils (com.utilsmycrypto.mainer)
- FixCleaner (com.cleaner.fixgate)
- Just In: Video Motion (com.olivia.openpuremind)
- com.myunique.sequencestore
- com.flowmysequto.yamer
- com.qaz.universalsaver
- Lucky Cleaner (com.luckyg.cleaner)
- Simpli Cleaner (com.scando.qukscanner)
- Unicc QR Scanner (com.qrdscannerratedx)
Although, these apps are removed from the Play Store right now, make sure you uninstall these apps in case you have installed any of them on your phone.
While Google has been actively trying to find and kick out malicious apps like these on the Play Store, it has had a hard time. That’s because these apps don’t seem harmful with their negligible malicious footprint.
Trend Micro said “DawDropper’s malicious payload belongs to the Octo malware family, which is a modular and multistage malware that is capable of stealing banking information, intercepting text messages, and hijacking infected devices. Octo is also known as Coper, and it has been historically used to target Colombian online banking users.”
