Embedding ad code in applications or games is the most common way for developers to offset their costs to offer free or inexpensive applications. However, sometimes applications that have no other function than just showing ads can expect to be downloaded in the application markets.
Security researchers at Australia-based SophosLabs have recently discovered 15 apps that do nothing but show aggressive advertising on Android devices. The programs have names and product descriptions ranging from QR readers to image editing applications. What makes these applications even more insidious is that they hide their icons to make it difficult to remove them from the phone. Some even camouflage themselves in the settings menu with different names and icons.
For example, when you install the application called Flash On The Calls & Messages “This application is not compatible with your device!” Says a message displays, and then users of Google Maps Play store page directing leads to think that the problems in this application and icon also hides the application to show ads running in the background continues.
Andrew Brandt, lead investigator, explained how to find and remove annoying malware: “If you suspect that an application you recently installed hides its icon in the application tray, tap Settings (gear menu), and then tap Apps and Notifications. If any of these applications use the generic Android icon (somewhat similar to the greenish-blue Android silhouette) and have generic feature names (‘Backup’, ‘Update,’ ‘Time Zone Service’), tap the generic icon, and then click Force Stop. In an actual system application, there is a button called ‘Disable’ instead of ‘Uninstall,’ and you don’t need to disable it. ”
Detected 15 malicious applications removed from Google Play ‘is expressed. Together, Play Store statistics show that these applications have been downloaded and installed on more than 1.3 million devices worldwide .