Security News > 2022 > October > These 16 Clicker Malware Infected Android Apps Were Downloaded Over 20 Million Times

These 16 Clicker Malware Infected Android Apps Were Downloaded Over 20 Million Times
2022-10-20 09:04

As many as 16 malicious apps with over 20 million cumulative downloads have been taken down from the Google Play Store after they were caught committing mobile ad fraud.

The Clicker malware masqueraded as seemingly harmless utilities like cameras, currency/unit converters, QR code readers, note-taking apps, and dictionaries, among others, in a bid to trick users into downloading them, cybersecurity firm McAfee said.

The Clicker app, once installed and launched, unleashes its fraudulent functionality that enables the malware to covertly visit bogus websites and simulate ad clicks without the victims' knowledge.

To further conceal its true motive, the app takes into account the app's installation time such that the suspicious activity doesn't kick in within the first one hour of downloading the app.

The findings arrive two months after McAfee discovered a dozen Android adware apps distributed on the Google Play Store, which harbored a malware strain called HiddenAds that were found to execute automatically without any user interaction.

"Clicker malware targets illicit advertising revenue and can disrupt the mobile advertising ecosystem," Ryu said.


News URL

https://thehackernews.com/2022/10/these-16-clicker-malware-infected.html

Related vendor

VENDOR LAST 12M #/PRODUCTS LOW MEDIUM HIGH CRITICAL TOTAL VULNS
Android 4 0 17 2 0 19