Avast has discovered 47 apps to delete immediately from your Android smartphone because they hide very dangerous adware: here are which ones they are
This time it's the turn of security company Avast to discover 47 dangerous apps present on the Google Play Store. It's now an almost weekly routine: every now and then some computer security company discovers a dozen apps that hide viruses and adware. The 47 apps discovered by Avast are all video games that in total have collected over 15 million downloads, a sign that the number of potentially infected users is very high.
As Avast's researchers point out, 17 apps are still available on Google's online store and have not been deleted despite being reported to Big G, and no one knows why. The dangerous apps were hiding an adware that belongs to the HiddenAds family of viruses. What is adware? It is an increasingly common type of malware on smartphones that continuously display misleading advertisements. Hackers make money both on the unintentional clicks stolen from users and on any subscription services activated as a result of the clicks. A double scam that generates considerable profits for hackers.
What is HiddenAds adware
Adware is a rather sneaky, though harmless virus when it comes to user privacy. Their only goal, in fact, is to display advertisements on the smartphone's screen, to the point of making it unusable.
Avast researchers also discovered a rather devious operation of this particular adware: the icon of infected apps would disappear from the smartphone, so that the user could not uninstall them. But that's not all. Anche nel caso in cui venivano eliminate, le app continuavano a infestare lo schermo del dispositivo.
Quali sono le app da cancellare subito
Tra le 47 app da eliminare subito dallo smartphone, ce ne sono ancora 17 present sul Google Play Store e che sono state scaricate almeno mezzo milione di volte. Quindi, la platea di utenti in pericolo o infettati è molto ampia. Ecco le app incriminate da eliminare immediatamente:
- Draw Color by Number
- Skate Board – New
- Find Hidden Differences
- Shoot Master
- Stacking Guys
- Disc Go!
- Spot Hidden Differences
- Dancing Run – Color Ball Run
- Find 5 Differences
- Joy Woodworker
- Throw Master
- Throw into Space
- Divide it – Cut & Slice Game
- Tony Shoot – NEW
- Assassin Legend
- Flip King
- Save Your Boy
- Assassin Hunter 2020
- Stealing Run
- Fly Skater 2020
Quali sono i pericoli per gli utenti
Se da un lato gli adware sono (quasi) innocui per la privacy, dall’altro sono un rischio per la salute dello smartphone. Questo virus è sempre attivo in background e porta lo smartphone a sforzarsi più del dovuto, scaricando la batteria in fretta e riscaldando eccessivamente le componenti interne. Se il virus resta attivo per più mesi, lo smartphone potrebbe anche smettere di funzionare oppure la batteria diventare praticamente inutilizzabile.
Come difendersi dalle app pericolose
I consigli da seguire per proteggersi dalle app che nascondono malware e adware sono sempre gli stessi. In primis, scaricate solamente applicazioni di cui vi potete fidare e che sono sviluppate da software house famose e affidabili. Also, be wary of apps, especially video games, with overly positive reviews: in most cases they are fake.
Also, install an antivirus on your Android smartphone: in most cases they are free and provide protection from the attack of many malware and viruses.