Security News > 2020 > November > ‘Minecraft Mods’ Attack More Than 1 Million Android Devices

Scammers are taking advantage of the Minecraft sandbox video game's wild success by developing Google Play apps which appear to be Minecraft modpacks, but instead deliver abusive ads, according to researchers.

Since July, Kaspersky researchers have found more than 20 of these apps and determined that they have been downloaded on more than a million Android devices.

According to PC Games, more than 200 million copies of Minecraft were sold as of May. Because Minecraft was designed in Java, it was easy for third-party developers to create compatible applications or "Modpacks" to enhance and customize the gaming experience for players.

Google Play has removed all but five of the malicious titles, Kaspersky said: Zone Modding Minecraft, Textures for Minecraft ACPE, Seeded for Minecraft ACPE, Mods for Minecraft ACPE and Darcy Minecraft Mod are still up and available.

Minecraft players were also targeted on Google Play earlier this month by fraudsters offering premium skins, mods and wallpapers under a free "Trial period," which quickly ends and starts racking up charges on the victims' phone bills.

News URL

https://threatpost.com/minecraft-mods-attack-android-devices/161567/