Credits: Google Play Store<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nCybersecurity analysts at Trend Micro published a blog on 17 apps that were used to bait users into turning over their information.<\/p>\n
In hacking parlance, a “trojan” is a malware program that is dispensed by a “dropper”, which is an app that appears legitimate.<\/p>\n
This flagged malware campaign is called DawDropper and it deploys one of four “banking trojans”.<\/p>\n
One strain of the malware steals personal banking information by recording screen activity and keystrokes.<\/p>\n
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This malware payload – called Octo – can also keep the phone awake while working to override permissions and silence any alarms that may notify Google of bad activity.<\/p>\n
The hackers have evidently found an effective way for dodging the Google Play Store’s threat prevention policies.<\/p>\n
The apps are not flagged by the Google Play Store because the malicious script only activates after the app has been downloaded, ZDNet reports.<\/p>\n
The analysts at Trend Micro say they expect trojan droppers to remain in style for hacking campaigns. <\/p>\n
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\nMost read in Phones & gadgets<\/h3>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
DawDropper was masked in false apps advertising VPNs, call recorders, and other tools for Android.<\/p>\n
The apps known to be carrying DawDropper malware have been removed from the Google Play Store.<\/p>\n
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Remember to vet the apps you use before freely downloading.<\/p>\n
If an app has limited reviews or it’s the developer’s only product, then install with extreme caution or do not install at all.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n