Remove These Malicious Apps From Your Android Right Now
Digital security researchers have discovered a previously unknown type of ad-serving malware in over 200 Android apps, some of which have been downloaded by millions of users. According to TechCrunch, AdWare, which security firm Check Point calls SimBad, creates a backdoor and allows its creator to install additional programs. The firm notified Google of the vulnerability and all apps were removed from the Google Play Store. However, we can still remove these apps from our phones.
Check Point has published a list of applications , which includes the names, filenames and number of installations for each of the infected applications. While infected apps range from random phone utilities to camera effects, most of the affected apps appear to be games. Of the 14 most popular apps, each with at least 5,000,000 downloads, 13 are games:
- Heavy Snow Excavator Simulator
- Hoverboard racing
- Real tractor farming simulator
- Ambulance Driving
- Heavy Mountain Bus Simulator 2018
- Emergency fire truck driver
- Real Harvest Farm Tractor Simulator
- Parking Challenge
- Speedboat Jet Ski Racing
- Water surfing by car
- Wood SUV Truck Driver 2018
- Volume booster and equalizer
- Prado Parking Adventure
- Oil Tanker Truck Driver
If you find that you have downloaded any of these applications, please restart your phone in safe mode. The step-by-step process for rebooting into Safe Mode varies by model, but the most common way is to long-press the on-screen Shutdown option that appears when you press the physical power button. (Here are a couple of other options .)
In safe mode, go to the Settings menu and tap Apps to find a list of all the apps installed on your phone. Delete the infected application and check for other unfamiliar applications. Malware often hides away from the home screen, so if there is an app with an unfamiliar name or icon, it could be installed via the backdoor.
Whether you’ve downloaded any of these apps or not, it’s also a good idea to download virus scanning software to make sure your phone is safe.