Cybersecurity researchers have issued a warning to smartphone users about a series of malicious apps that have been downloaded millions of times from the Google Play Store and Apple App Store.
Researchers from Satori Human Security’s threat intelligence team sounded the alarm in a new report that revealed around 80 different Android apps were involved in an ad fraud operation.
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The cyberattack dates back to 2019, but experts believe the threat has expanded since then, with nine apps linked to the App Store.
The threat involves cybercriminals using bots to exploit advertising platforms and advertisers to scam people.
More than 13 million app downloads have been recorded and Human Security warns that the attack is ongoing.
“HUMAN and the Satori team continue to pursue the operation and its perpetrators,” it said, adding that the apps have been removed from app stores.
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‘Delete them’
The advice to smartphone users with any of the apps listed below is: “delete them.”
“Even though HUMAN is monitoring threat actors, they can update apps to change how they work, so removing apps is the best option,” the researchers said.
“Consider mitigating the risk of running dangerous apps by considering the app’s origin and the trustworthiness of the brands involved.
“Aftermarket, sideloading or ‘cracked’ apps can be at a much higher risk.”
Malicious iOS apps
These apps have been removed from the App Store, but iOS users can have them on their devices.
- Loot the Castle (com.loot.rcastle.fight.battle)
- Run Bridge (com.run.bridge.race)
- Shinning Gun (com.shinning.gun.ios)
- Racing Legend 3D (com.racing.legend.like)
- Rope Runner (com.rope.runner.family)
- Wood Sculptor (com.wood.sculptor.cutter)
- Fire-Wall (com.fire.wall.poptit)
- Ninja Critical Hit (wger.ninjacriticalhit.ios)
- com.TonyRuns.game
An example of a malicious ad. Credit: Satori Threat Intelligence and Research Team
Malicious Android apps
These apps have since been removed from the Google Play Store, but Android users can still have them on their devices.
- Roll Turn (com.roll.turn.song.wusi.pt): over 1,000,000 downloads
- Crush Car (com.crush.car.fly.delivery.lingjiu): 1,000,000+ downloads
- Superhero: Save the World! (com.asuper.man.playmilk) – 1,000,000 downloads
- Spot 10 Differences (com.different.ten.spotgames) – 1,000,000 downloads
- Dinosaur Legend (com.huluwagames.dinosaur.legend.play) – 1,000,000 downloads
- One Line Drawing (com.one.line.drawing.stroke.yuxi) – 1,000,000 downloads
- Shoot Master (com.shooter.master.bullet.puzzle.huahong) – 1,000,000 downloads
- Talent Trap – NEW (com.talent.trap.stop.all) – 1,000,000 downloads
- Find 5 Differences – New (com.find.five.subtle.differences.spot.new) – 1,000,000
- Helicopter Attack – NEW (com.helicopter.attack.shoot.sanba) – 500,000+ downloads
- Arrow Coins (com.helicopter.attack.shoot.sanba) – 500,000 downloads
- Parking Master (com.ekfnv.docjfltc.parking.master) – 500,000 downloads
- Shoot it: Using Gun (com.bullet.shoot.fight.gtommm.tom) – 500,000 downloads
- Super Flake (com.chop.slice.flake2020) – 500,000 downloads
- Five-Star Slice (com.five.star.slice) – 500,000 downloads
- Sand Drawing (com.sand.drawing.newfight) – 500,000 downloads
- Mr Dinosaur: Play your Dino (com.topggame.facego.finger.crazy.dino) – 500,000 downloads
- Track Sliding New (com.track3d.sliding.new) – 500,000 downloads
- Peter Shoot (com.ltc.peter.shoot.tslgame) – 100,000+ downloads
- Thief King (com.ltcking.thief.game.tsl) – 100,000+ downloads
- Spin: Letter Roll (come.letter.roll.race) – over 100,000 downloads
- Relx cash (com.tycmrelx.cash): 100,000+ downloads
- Lady Run (com.lady.dress.run.sexylady) – 100,000 downloads
- Magic Brush 3D (com.magic.brush.gamesly) – 100,000 downloads
- Shake Shake Sheep (com.ldle.merge.free.coinspiggy) – 100,000 downloads
- Number Matching: Color Chips (com.yigegame.jyfsmnq.gg) – 100,000 downloads
- Ztime – Earn Cash Rewards Easily (com.pocky.ztime) – 100,000 Downloads
- Lucky Wings – Lotto Scratchers (com.free.scratchers.luckywings) – 100,000 downloads
- Shake Shake Pig (com.ldle.merge.free.coinspiggy) – 100,000 downloads
- Lucky Money Tree (com.ldle.merge.lucky.moneytree) – 100,000 downloads
- Run And Dance (com.tap.run.and.dance) – 100,000 downloads
- Beat Kicker New (com.beat.kicker.two.game) – 100,000 downloads
- Fill Color 3D (com.cube.fill.color.paint.turn.fei) – 100,000 downloads
- Draw Live (com.draw.live.milipop): 100,000 downloads
- Draw 1 Stroke (com.draw.one.line.stroke.xipi) – 100,000 downloads
- Fidget Cubes (com.fidget.cubes.feel.like) – 100,000 downloads
- Girls Fight (com.girls.fight.fly) – 100,000 downloads
- Ninja Assassin (com.knifininja.assassin.dltc) – 100,000 downloads
- Shooting Puzzle 2020 (com.my.bullet.shooting.man.hunter.youxi) – 100,000 downloads
- Pulley Parkour (com.pul.parkour.bbroller) – 100,000 downloads
- Chop Flake 3D (com.slice.chop.superslice3d) – 100,000 downloads
- Weapon Fantasy (com.weapon.fantasy.games) – 100,000 downloads
- Bike Extreme Racing (com.bike.extreme.racing.bikegames) – 50,000+ downloads
- Player Spiral Maker 3D (com.player.spiral.maker.d3): 50,000+ downloads
- Scratch Carnival (com.scratchers.jackpot.luckypiggy) – 50,000 downloads
- Billionaire Scratch (com.free.tickets.scratchers.Billionaire) – 50,000 downloads
- Lucky Star: Lotto Scratch (com.free.tickets.scratchers.LuckyLotto) – 50,000 downloads
- Balloon Shooter (com.balloon.shooter.play) – 50,000 downloads
- Musical Shoot (com.ltcmusical.fun2021) – 50,000 downloads
- Chop Slices (com.lvdiao.chop.slices.chef) – 50,000 downloads
- Ninja Slice (com.slice.masked.games) – 50,000 downloads
- Work now! (com.work.now.slack) – 50,000 downloads
- Draw Complete (com.ltcdraw.complete.fly) – 10,000+ downloads
- Draw a War (com.draw.war.army) – 10,000+ downloads
- Match 3 Tiles (com.blocks.tile.matching) – 10,000+ downloads
- 2048 Merge Cube – Win Cash (com.cube.merge.shooter) – 10,000+ downloads
- Pull Worm (com.pull.bugs.worm) – 10,000 downloads
- Shoot Dummy – Earn Rewards and Paypal Cash (com.shoot.dummy.fast.speed.linger) – 10,000
- Bottle Jump (com.bottle.jump.flip.challenge.fun) – 10,000 downloads
- Corn Scraper (com.corn.scraper.cut.pipe.siling) – 10,000 downloads
- Idle Wood Maker (com.idle.wood.maker.gametwo): 10,000 downloads
- Pop Girls Schooler (com.pop.girls.schooler): 10,000 downloads
- Romy Rush (com.romy.rushrun): 10,000 downloads
- Spear Hero (com.spear.super.man.hero) – 10,000 downloads
- Hiding Draw (com.hiding.drawltc.games) – 5000+ downloads
- Downhill Race (com.downhill.race.redbull) – 5000+ downloads
- Jackpot Scratcher-Real Win (com.physicswingsstudio.JackpotScratchers) – 5000 downloads
- Dig Road Balls (com.dig.road.balls.play.games.ygygame) – 5000 downloads
- Crowd Battle: Fight the bad guys (com.crowd.battle.goamy) – 5000 downloads
- Design n Road (com.ltcdesign.nroad) – 1000+ downloads
- Rescue Master (com.rescue.master.gear.mechanics.wushi) – 1000+ downloads
- Lucky Scratchers: Lotto Card (com.lotto.bingo.lucky.scratchcard) – 1000 downloads
- BOO Popstar (com.boostar.boo.popstar): 1000 downloads
- Draw Complete A (com.darwa.completea.ltca) – 1000 downloads
- War in Painting (com.painting.war.inpaper) – 100+ downloads
- Rush 2048: 3D Shoot Cubes (com.rushcube.puzzle.block) – 100 downloads
- Auto Seal Camera (com.stac.amper.qweaf) – 100+ downloads
- Meet Camera (com.magicvcam.hdmeet.cam008) – 0 downloads
- com.find.five.differences.lvye.xsl, n/a
- com.mufc.zwxfb, n/a
Once downloaded, malicious apps affect other apps to record fake views for digital ads and can even track user data.
Apps can also cause ads to appear out of context, such as on a user’s home screen, where they shouldn’t show and play hidden ads that users can’t detect.
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