Cybersecurity experts are warning people with Android phones and devices about malicious apps on Google Play that can slow devices, drain batteries, and expose
Cybersecurity experts are warning people with Android phones and devices about malicious apps on Google Play that can slow devices, drain batteries, and expose personal data without users realizing it.
The apps, disguised as free tools, have been downloaded millions of times, according to Dave Meister of Check Point Software. “We've been tracking an ongoing campaign for a number of months now, something that we're calling 'Ghost Ad'.”describes them as “utility and emoji-editing tools” and includes images of some of the applications. Meister said his team found the apps were operating silently in the background, often without users noticing any immediate signs of suspicious activity.Beware of free, fake wi-fi: Cybersecurity expert says AI empowers such scams According to Check Point researchers, the apps continued running even after users closed them or restarted their devices by abusing legitimate Android features. The apps displayed blank or persistent notifications and repeatedly restarted advertising activity in the background, draining battery life, consuming data, and slowing phones, while making the apps difficult for average users to remove.“It opens up vulnerabilities to be able to exfiltrate data from your device. So personal identifiable information, photos, if you're using, accessing work information or critical documents on your phone, they can also be put at risk,” Meister said. At its peak, researchers identified about 15 malicious apps, some of which ranked among the most downloaded tools on Google Play. “One of them, and this is very concerning, even got to number two when it came to the top three tools on the Google Store. So not only was there a number of different applications taking this approach, but some of them were some of the highest ranked,” Meister said.“In this day and age, particularly with the advent of artificial intelligence of AI, being able to create an application has never been easier," Meister said. Brandon Amacher, director of Utah Valley University’s Emerging Tech Policy Lab, added further context to the overall issue. He said Android’s open platform allows greater leniency for developers.He said that because of the open platform, the screening processes do not always detect malicious behavior, especially when apps initially appear legitimate. “Those processes are not perfect in that those initial scans don't always catch everything, especially a campaign like this, which takes advantage of legitimate processes within your phone,” Amacher said.“The problem is that these applications then later on can be modified by the developer via updates or via remote code implementation, which then changes the application in kind from what it initially was when it was uploaded,” Amacher said. “It's like, okay, well, we got past the bouncer at the club, and now we're going to change our behavior,” he added. Check Point advises users to avoid apps with vague names or excessive permissions, review user feedback, and watch for persistent blank notifications. If an app appears suspicious, experts recommend uninstalling it, clearing its data, reporting it to the app store, and reviewing existing apps to revoke unnecessary permissions, such as access to photos or microphones.“It sounds like Google did ban some of these apps, but is the threat still there?” 2News asked. “Absolutely. Most of the applications have been removed. We're aware of one or two that still do exist. But because these malicious actors did have success with these applications, you can expect that there'll be more that'll come up in the future,” Meister said.One man was hospitalized after he was shot multiple times at a Tooele convenient store on Tuesday night.At approximately 11:12 PM last night, our officers wereA woman was located after a porch camera caught her walking away from a fatal chihuahua attack with her German Shepherd.According to Salt Lake County Animal SerA Murray woman asked for accountability after she said her dog was attacked and killed by another dog at a local park.The incident happened Saturday around noonA 20-year-old man was arrested after police found an art installation at the Dumke Arts Plaza in Ogden damaged.A nearby officer responded to the the plaza afteStudents at Utah Valley University are planning a large sit-in protest against the school's Career and Internship fair after it was disclosed the Department of
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