Virus found in popular Android apps — the list

Experts have discovered a new Android threat within several popular apps. Users are advised to check their devices immediately and remove any dangerous programs.

The list is courtesy of CHIP.

A new wave of malicious code was found in Android apps

Cybersecurity researchers have warned of Kaleidoscope malware, which has quietly infiltrated various popular Android apps. These programs have been distributed outside the official Google Play Store and have already gained a significant audience. Once installed, they run in the background, collect personal data, display intrusive ads, and open a channel for more dangerous malware.

Experts have published a list of infected apps and advise smartphone owners to immediately check the Apps section in Settings. If you have any of the suspicious apps on your device, uninstall them immediately. Then, restart your phone and ensure that there are no unknown or unnecessary permissions. Be especially wary of apps that require access to the camera, microphone, or geolocation without a logical reason, consume a disproportionate amount of battery or mobile data, or crash frequently.

Experts remind us to download programs only from trusted sources and to pay close attention to the permissions requested during installation. Update your system regularly, as the latest patches close known security vulnerabilities. For instance, the May Android security update addresses a critical vulnerability that attackers have started to exploit.

As we previously mentioned, even the most powerful Android smartphone can sometimes run slower than expected. Often, the problem lies not in the hardware, but in system parameters that limit performance.

As a reminder, Google has discovered 62 dangerous vulnerabilities in Android smartphones. Users have been warned that two of them pose a particular threat and that they should immediately update their devices.