The latest Android malware you should look out for, though not as popular as the scam apps that recently made 382+ million downloads, is very serious.
Security researchers at Trend Micro recently called for a number of Android applications – over 470,000 total downloads – fake system-cleaning applications that are actually capable of installing more than 3,000 malware applications on a user’s device. The bad thing is, these bad apps can use your Facebook or Google credentials to sign in to these bad apps and help perpetuate ad fraud (and they get paid well until the malware catches up).
While it’s good that you’re not infected by the original apps or the malware they dump on your device, here’s a quick list of apps you might want to look out for (maybe):
- Shoot Clean-Junk Cleaner,Phone Booster,CPU Cooler
- Super Clean Lite- Booster, Clean&CPU Cooler
- Super Clean-Phone Booster,Junk Cleaner&CPU Cooler
- Quick Games-H5 Game Center
- Rocket Cleaner
- Rocket Cleaner Lite
- Speed Clean-Phone Booster,Junk Cleaner&App Manager
- LinkWorldVPN
- H5 gamebox
The most important thing in this case is to take Trend Micro to avoid such bad apps in the Google Play Store. But first, I’m going to give you my advice: your Android does not need clean apps. Here is a sample size of one, but I have never used (or needed) a cleaner app in the countless years I have been using Android and my devices have never been affected. Besides, you only ask the problem if you think that apps with fraudulent headlines like “Super Clean-Phone Booster, Junk Cleaner & CPU Cooler” are going to do anything to help your mobile.
In fact, if you feel your device’s performing poorly, back up your photos and videos to the cloud, and perform a factory reset on your device and reset it from scratch. Since new apps and operating system updates are more in demand than when you first purchased your smartphone, chances are good that your device will be even slower. Applications you have forgotten. If your phone is almost at maximum with data, freeing up a little space will be a little faster for Android.
According to Trend Micro, they are more concerned with how difficult it is to verify a processor’s legitimacy by looking only at reviews and ratings — if you focus only on numbers and stars.
As always, stick to downloading apps from Google Play, and if you ever forget to sideline an app and reset it, disable your device’s ability to install apps from unknown sources. When you consider installing a new app on your device, even from Google Play, ask yourself if it’s really necessary. Do an internet search to see if there are any reliable alternatives from well known app developers and brands. Read the reviews and see how they sound. Has the app been around for years and received regular updates or is this the first version of an app – somehow, even though it’s only a few days old, has it garnered a ton of reviews?
Unfortunately, you have a responsibility to keep your device free of malicious applications. Google can help, but it can not catch everything in advance – as we have seen. Make sure you give this advice to your friends too; You may be smart, but tech enthusiasts can go crazy on your loved ones, cleaner and other hardware downloads that are a little less. Help them!
