Android users will have to be extremely careful when downloading game apps from the Google Play Store. This is because, the Android app store has been attacked by a malicious code, which hides in apps, specifically those intended to be used by children, according to a Check Point Research report.
According to the report, due to the attack, about 60 game apps, which has already been affected by the malicious bug has since be removed by Google. These game apps fell into the category of apps which have been downloaded between 3million to 7million times. The malicious bug was dubbed “AdultSwine”.
The report had equally given three possible modes this bug attacks – through displaying pornographic ads, which are inappropriate for children, by tricking users into installing fake security apps through deceiving them that their phone had been infected with a virus and thirdly, by misleading users to register for premium services with intention to charge the victim’s account.
The good news is that Google has since taken proactive actions. You would recall Google had in 2017 decided to add Play Protect logo certified android devices.
It is said that the malicious app is only but a nasty nuisance now, it can however cause greater damage through a wider range of malicious activities, including but not limited to credential theft, which would be a bad omen for Play Store’s over two million apps.
The malicious bug activates on user’s device by waiting for them to either unlock their screen or after a boot sequence is completed.
Here is a list of affected apps:
| App Name | Minimum Downloads | Maximum Downloads |
| Five Nights Survival Craft | 1,000,000 | 5,000,000 |
| Mcqueen Car Racing Game | 500,000 | 1,000,000 |
| Addon Pixelmon for MCPE | 500,000 | 1,000,000 |
| CoolCraft PE | 100,000 | 500,000 |
| Exploration Pro WorldCraft | 100,000 | 500,000 |
| Draw Kawaii | 100,000 | 500,000 |
| San Andreas City Craft | 100,000 | 500,000 |
| Subway Banana Run Surf | 100,000 | 500,000 |
| Exploration Lite : Wintercraft | 100,000 | 500,000 |
| Addon GTA for Minecraft PE | 100,000 | 500,000 |
| Addon Sponge Bob for MCPE | 100,000 | 500,000 |
| Drawing Lessons Angry Birds | 50,000 | 100,000 |
| Temple Crash Jungle Bandicoot | 50,000 | 100,000 |
| Drawing Lessons Lego Star Wars | 50,000 | 100,000 |
| Drawing Lessons Chibi | 50,000 | 100,000 |
| Girls Exploration Lite | 10,000 | 50,000 |
| Drawing Lessons Subway Surfers | 10,000 | 50,000 |
| Paw Puppy Run Subway Surf | 10,000 | 50,000 |
| Flash Slither Skin IO | 10,000 | 50,000 |
| Invisible Slither Skin IO | 10,000 | 50,000 |
| Drawing Lessons Lego Ninjago | 10,000 | 50,000 |
| Drawing Lessons Lego Chima | 5,000 | 10,000 |
| Temple Bandicoot Jungle Run | 1,000 | 5,000 |
| Blockcraft 3D | 1,000 | 5,000 |
| Jungle Survival Craft 1.0 | 1,000 | 5,000 |
| Easy Draw Octonauts | 1,000 | 5,000 |
| halloweenskinsforminecraft | 1,000 | 5,000 |
| skinsyoutubersmineworld | 1,000 | 5,000 |
| youtubersskins | 1,000 | 5,000 |
| DiadelosMuertos | 500 | 1,000 |
| Draw X-Men | 500 | 1,000 |
| Moviesskinsforminecraft | 500 | 1,000 |
| Virtual Family – Baby Craft | 500 | 1,000 |
| Mine Craft Slither Skin IO | 500 | 1,000 |
| Guide Clash IO | 100 | 500 |
| Invisible Skin for Slither IO app | 100 | 500 |
| Zombie Island Craft Survival | 100 | 500 |
| HalloweenMakeUp | 100 | 500 |
| ThanksgivingDay | 100 | 500 |
| ThanksgivingDay2 | 100 | 500 |
| Jurassic Survival Craft Game | 100 | 500 |
| Players Unknown Battle Ground | 100 | 500 |
| Subway Bendy Ink Machine Game | 100 | 500 |
| Shin Hero Boy Adventure Game | 100 | 500 |
| Temple Runner Castle Rush | 100 | 500 |
| Dragon Shell for Super Slither | 100 | 500 |
| Flash Skin for Slither IO app | 50 | 100 |
| AnimePictures | 50 | 100 |
| Pixel Survival – Zombie Apocalypse | 50 | 100 |
| Fire Skin for Slither IO app | 10 | 50 |
| San Andreas Gangster Crime | 10 | 50 |
| fidgetspinnerforminecraft | 10 | 50 |
| Stickman Fighter 2018 | 10 | 50 |
| Subway Run Surf | 10 | 50 |
| Guide Vikings Hunters | 10 | 50 |
| Woody Pecker | 10 | 50 |
| Pack of Super Skins for Slither | 10 | 50 |
| Spinner Toy for Slither | 10 | 50 |
| How to Draw Coco and The Land of the Dead | 10 | 50 |
| How to Draw Dangerous Snakes and Lizards Species | 1 | 5 |
| How to Draw Real Monster Trucks and Cars | 1 | 5 |
| How to Draw Animal World of The Nut Job 2 | 1 | 5 |
| How to Draw Batman Legends in Lego Style | 1 | 5 |
Google Play (formerly Android Market) is a digital distribution service operated and developed by Google. It serves as the official app store for the Android operating system, allowing users to browse and download applications developed with the Android software development kit (SDK) and published through Google. Google Play also serves as a digital media store, offering music, magazines, books, movies, and television programs. It previously offered Google hardware devices for purchase until the introduction of a separate online hardware retailer, Google Store, on March 11, 2015.
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