Twenty-nine fake apps capable of stealing your banking information made their way into the Google Play store between August and October of this year. According to the security experts at ESET, they were downloaded by over 30,000 users.
This malware was disguised as legitimate apps, like horoscopes and power managers.
When users attempted to launch the app, they received an error that said the application was incompatible with their phone and had been removed. In reality, they launched malware designed to impersonate other apps on your phone. This can enable them to steal your banking information by impersonating banking and other financial apps.
ESET notified Google of the issue and those apps have been removed from the Play Store.
Here’s a list of the apps containing the malware.
Astro Plus
Boost Your Phone
BoostFX. Android cleaner
Clean Master – Booster Pro
Clean Master Pro Booster 2018
Daily Horoscope
Daily Horoscope – Astrological Forecast
Daily Horoscope For All Zodiac Signs
Daily Horoscope Free – Horoscope Compatibility
Free Daily Horoscope 2019
Free Daily Horoscope Plus – Astrology Online
Horoscope 2018
Master Cleaner – CPU Booster
Master Clean – Power Booster
Meu Horóscopo
Personal Horoscope
Phone Booster – Clean Master
Phone Power Booster
Phone Cleaner – Booster, Optimizer
Power Manager
Speed Cleaner – CPU Cooler
Super Boost Cleaner
Super Fast Cleaner
Ultra Cleaner – Power Boost
Ultra Phone Booster
If you downloaded any of these apps, make sure to check your bank account and change any passwords or PINs associated with it.
Make sure you have malware protection installed on your phone and also look carefully at any apps you choose to download to see how many others have used it and what the reviews are.
I appreciate updates on invasive software. As a photo enthusiast, I worry about photo apps I download. Do you have any insight to those (Samsung 7 user). Plus, the photo apps seem very invasive of personal privacy and the info they collect on me as well as people in my address book – ostensibly to ‘make my experience better.’ Hm, I’m dubious.