Security News > 2023 > May > Fleckpe Android Malware Sneaks onto Google Play Store with Over 620,000 Downloads

A new Android subscription malware named Fleckpe has been unearthed on the Google Play Store, amassing more than 620,000 downloads in total since 2022.

Kaspersky, which identified 11 apps on the official app storefront, said the malware masqueraded as legitimate photo editing apps, camera, and smartphone wallpaper packs.

In a sign that Fleckpe is being actively developed, recent versions of the malware have moved most of the malicious functionality to the native library in a bid to evade detection by security tools.

This is not the first time subscription malware has been found on the Google Play Store.

While such apps are not as dangerous as spyware or financial trojans, they can still incur unauthorized charges and be repurposed by its operators to harvest a wide range of sensitive information and serve as entry points for more nefarious malware.

The findings are yet another indication that threat actors are continuing to discover new ways to sneak their apps onto official app marketplaces to scale their campaigns, requiring that users exercise caution when downloading apps and granting permissions to them.

News URL

https://thehackernews.com/2023/05/fleckpe-android-malware-sneaks-onto.html