Take these freshly outed apps, for example. They’ve been available in the official Google Play Store for months now, amassing millions and millions of downloads. Unknown to everyone, they are all infected with a sneaky piece of malicious profit-generating software commonly known as adware. Check your phone now. Read on and see if any of the more than 200 infected apps are installed on your gadget and remove them immediately.
SimBad has surprises
Security researchers at Check Point discovered a new kind of Android malware disguised as an advertising platform and it is believed to be infecting more 200 apps in the official Google Play. The combined download total of all the apps? More than 150 million. Most of the apps appear to be mostly simulations games but some are a mish-mash of utilities like photo editors and browsers. The malware, dubbed as SimBad, apparently sneaks into apps by inserting itself into Software Development Kits (SDK) and by presenting itself to developers as a legitimate ad-serving platform. However, what the developers don’t realize is that the malicious platform is actually piggy-backing their apps to evade the Google Play Store’s app scanning system. Once an infected app is installed, SimBad opens a backdoor on the phone and installs additional malware. This malware then deletes its app icon and runs persistently in the background, restarting itself every time the infected phone boots up. While running in the background, SimBad also gets instructions from a central command and center and goes through a list of web addresses to serve ads and generate false profit at the expense of the phone’s owner. BONUS: 5 THINGS ONLY YOUR ANDROID PHONE CAN DO (AND AN IPHONE CAN’T)
Apps pulled from the Google Play Store
Check Point already informed Google about the scheme and thankfully, all 200+ apps were pulled from the Google Play Store. Some of the infected apps date back to March 2017. Here’s the list of the apps infected by SimBad (courtesy of Check Point): 3D Photo Frame Cube Live Wallpaper4D Maa Durga Live WallpaperAmbulance Driver Extreme RescueAmbulance Rescue DrivingAmerican muscle car raceAnimal Farming SimulatorAnimal Parts Photo EditorAnti Theft & Full Battery AlarmAnti-spam CallsAudio Video MixerAuto Call redialBeard mustache hairstyle changer EditorBest App LockBike Wheel of DeathBollywood VideosBottle ShootBottle shoot archeryBottle Shoot Sniper 3DBrain Games & IQ TestBroken Screen – Cracked ScreenCalendar 2018 Photo FrameCaller Location & Mobile Location TrackerCamper Van DrivingCamper Van Race Driving Simulator 2018Car Parking ChallengeCar Photo FrameCars Transport Truck Driver 2018Change your voiceChristmas greetings cardChristmas letters to santa and three wise manChristmas Magic BoardChristmas Truck Transport SimulatorCity Metro Bus Pk Driver Simulator 2017Clock Live Wallpapercom.foodtruck.driving.simulatorCompatibility TestConnect Letters. Words GameCustom Radio Alarm ClockDeleted Files RecoveryDeleted Photo RecoveryDemolition DerbyDinosaur Park – Train RescueDJ Photo FramesDog Crazy Race SimulatorDog Race SimulatorDSLR Camera BlurDual Screen BrowserEDIT Flowers Photo FramesExcavator Wrecking Ball Demolition SimulatorExtreme Motorcycle RacerExtreme Rally ChampionshipFace Beauty MakeupFarming Tractor Real Harvest SimulatorFarming Transport Simulator 2018Fire text photo frameFire Truck Emergency DriverFire Truck Emergency Rescue – Driving SimulatorFlag face paint: World Cup 2018Flash Alert – Flash on CallFlash on Call and SMSFlying Ambulance Emergency RescueFlying Car Stunts On Extreme TracksFlying Motorbike StuntsFlying taxi simulatorFood Truck Driving SimulatorFootball Results & Stats AnalyzerFortune WheelFortune Wheel DeluxeFull Screen Incoming CallGallery LockGarbage Truck – City trash cleaning simulatorGarden Photo Editorgirlfriend photo editorGirlfriend Photo Editor 2Green Hill PhotoFrameGuess the pictureHands Slap GameHarvest Timber SimulatorHeart Photo FramesHeavy Excavator – Stone Cutter SimulatorHeavy Excavator Stone Driller SimulatorHeavy Mountain Bus Simulator 2018Heavy Snow Excavator Christmas RescueHeavy Snow Excavator Snowplow SimulatorHigh Wheeler Speed RaceHot Micro RacersHouse Transport Truck – Moving Van SimulatorHoverboard RacingHoverboard Racing Spider AttackHovercraft RacerHummer taxi limo simulatorImpossible Farming Transport SimulatorImpossible Tracks – Extreme TrucksJetpack WaterLara Unicorn DashLive TranslatorLove Caller ScreenLove Caller Screen 2Love Caller with love ringtonesLuxury Photo FrameMad Cars Fury RacingMagic Glow Live WallpaperMagical Unicorn DashMan Casual Shirt Photo SuitMax PlayerMen Sweatshirt Photo EditorMissile Attack Army TruckMobile number locatorMobile Number Tracker & LocatorModern Santa – Christmas van driveModi Photo Frame 2Monster TruckMonster Truck DemolitionMoster vs WaterMotorbike Pizza DeliveryMotorsport Race ChampionshipMountain Bus SimulatorMove App To SD Card 2016Mustang Driving Car RaceMustang Rally ChampionshipMy name on Live WallpaperMy Photo on Music PlayerName on Pic-Name artNature Photo FramesNumber ColoringOffroad buggy car racingOffroad Christmas Tree TransportOffroad Gold Transport Truck Driver 2018Offroad jeep car racingOffroad Nuclear Waste Transport – Truck DriverOffroad Snow Bike – Christmas RacingOffRoad Tractor TransportOffroad Wood Transport Truck Driver 2018Oil Tanker Transport Truck DriverPhone FinderPhone number locatorPhoto Background Changer 2017Photo Live WallpaperPhoto on Birthday CakePhoto Video Maker with MusicPirate Ship Boat Racing 3DPolice ChasePolice Plane TransporterPop Toy CreatorPop Toy Creator 2Porgy Virtual PetPrado Parking AdventureProfesionalRecorderRacing Car Stunts On Impossible TracksRacing Car Stunts On Impossible Tracks 2Racing Horse Championship 3DReal Tractor Farming SimulatorRecover Deleted PicturesRoyale StatsSea Animals Truck Transport SimulatorSecret screen recorderSelfie CameraShayari 2017Snow Heavy Excavator SimulatorSpeed Boat Jet Ski RacingSpeed Boat RacingSuper Cycle Downhill RiderSuper Cycle Jungle RiderSuper Cycle RiderSUV car – parking simulatorTank Transport Army TruckTanks AttackTap the BalltaxiToilet Paper RaceTop Paheliya 2016Tractor Farming 2018Tractor Farming SimulatorTrain Driving SimulatorTruck Transport and Parking SimulatorTruck Wheel of DeathTurban Photo EditorUnicorn Float – Speed RaceUrban Limo Taxi SimulatorVan PizzaVideo and photo GuardVoice reading for SMS. Whatsapp & text smsVolume Control WidgetVolumen BoosterVolumen booster & EqualizerWater SkiingWater Surfing Car StuntWater Surfing Motorbike StuntWaterpark Car RacingWingsuit SimulatorWomen Make Up and Hairstyle Photo MakerWorld cup 2018 football shirt makerWorld Cup 2018 Teams Flags Live WallpaperWorld Famous Photo Frames As usual, this sneaky malware may be considered as adware for now but since it installs additional malicious software in the background, it can evolve into something worse.
How to delete malicious apps in Android
If you still have any of the listed apps on your phone, please uninstall them immediately, since removal from the app store doesn’t uninstall it from your device. To review and remove questionable apps on Android, go to Settings » then Apps or Application Manager. Look through the list and keep an eye out for anything that’s odd or unfamiliar. Tap the questionable app you want to get rid of and this will open up the App Info screen. First, remove the app’s data cache by hitting “Clear Cache.” Next, delete the app’s data by tapping “Clear Data.” Once these steps are done, click on the “Uninstall” button to remove the app. Sometimes, sneaky app developers hide their fake apps by making their title and icons invisible. If that’s the case, look for blank spaces in your Application Manager and uninstall them as usual. For stubborn apps that have hijacked your gadget’s administrator permissions, try removing them in Safe Mode. Unfortunately, if that doesn’t work, your only other option is to wipe your data, factory reset your device, and start over. This is why it is also so critical to have a reliable backup service. All it would take is one nasty fake app or mobile malware and you could lose it all. To back up all your gadgets, including Android, iOS, Mac and PC devices under one account, we recommend our sponsor IDrive. Check out IDrive today and save 50% thanks to Kim!
