Beware! These Android malware apps on Google Play Store were downloaded over 1,50,000 times

If you’re an Android smartphone user, it’s always a fair practice to download apps listed only on the Google Play Store. But even so, one can never be too careful while installing apps by an unknown developer.

A recent BleepingComputers report has highlighted a list of seemingly harmless apps that could be posing a threat to your Android smartphones right now. But what’s interesting is that the apps were originally not ‘malicious’.

5 dangerous Android apps you should delete right now

The report states how a Europe-based cybercriminal gang, Antasa, has been targeting Android smartphones with a list of ‘innocent-looking’ apps. If you have any of these already installed, you might have to manually delete them from your device. Check out five apps that could be threatening your phone right now:

1) Phone Cleaner – File Explorer
2) PDF Viewer – File Explorer
3) PDF Reader – Viewer & Editor
4) Phone Cleaner: File Explorer
5) PDF Reader: File Manager

The fake cleaning apps are equipped to take control of the Accessibility Settings on your phone and resort to a multi-stage infection process. These stages can further successfully bypass Android and Google Security checks.

What's different about these apps?

All five apps have a common ‘File Explorer’ extension and are PDF readers in some or other form. They claim to free up space within your phone or ‘manage’ the files within your device.

ALSO READ: Android malware ‘Xamalicious’ targets over 327,000 devices

The report explains how these apps are not originally harmful when downloaded (which helps them bypass the security check) and are equipped with a malware dropper component a week later. This functionality then adds the malicious code to the smartphone through an ‘update’ and gains control over the Accessibility Settings of a targeted device.

The permissions will typically include the need to access ‘hibernate battery draining apps’. Once this is established, the apps can record or capture anything, including login data, passwords and anything displayed on your phone’s screen. This also gives the hackers a simplified way into your bank accounts or financial data.

How to stay safe from malicious Android apps

For one, begin by questioning your need – do you really need the app, or can you have a workaround for it? More often than not, a stock Android app will offer you the same functionality without compromising your device’s privacy. Secondarily, perform a quick background check on the developer and ensure you read enough reviews as well.

Lastly, it is crucial to have Google Play Protect enabled on your smartphone for an added layer of security. Consider installing an anti-virus software to tackle rouge apps if they go unnoticed.

While there’s no sure way to know if a new app could threaten your phone, revisiting all your installed apps every now and then is never a bad idea.