Google Pulls Malware From App Store After Half Million Android Users Fall Victim

19:34 GMT, 27 March 2018

If you are widely using Android-based QR readers on your smartphone, just make sure you haven’t come under attack of a newly unveiled malware – most importantly haven’t been let down by Google, which appeared to react too slowly.

Sputnik

The security firm SophosLabs has revealed that the malicious apps had been downloaded and used more than 500,000 times before being taken down from the Google Play online store, according to a report cited on CNET sister website ZDNet.

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27 March 2018, 11:01 GMT

The malware was detected on six QR readers and one smart compass and its name notably speaks for itself: it virtually bombards users with ads. It begins its "dirty" operations only six hours after installation, flooding users with full screen pop-ups, opening adverts on websites and sending ad-related notifications, ZDNet's Danny Palmer warned.