According to reports, Google has taken 16 applications off the Play Store after discovering they were using a lot of data and rapidly depleting the battery. Through user impersonation, the applications were also engaging in ad fraud. The programmes were allegedly aiding background redirections to websites and causing clicks on the advertisements there, according to Ars Technica.
Cybersecurity company McAfee is said to have discovered the applications’ behaviour. Utility applications are those that fit this description. A large number of them looked to contain basic features like money conversion, flashlight functioning, QR code scanning, and so forth. But background operations in these applications were discovered.
Here is the list of apps removed from Google Play Store;
- Quick Note
- Instagram Profile Downloader
- Ez Notes
- com.candlencom.flashlite
- com.doubleline.calcul
- com.dev.imagevault Flashlight+
- Joycode
- EzDica
- Currency Converter
- BusanBus
- 8K-Dictionary
- com.smh.memocalendar memocalendar
- Flashlight+
- Smart Task Manager
- High-Speed Camera
According to reports, McAfee found that these apps would automatically download code and browse websites without notifying the user. Additionally, the applications would click on advertising and links. The extensive background activity raised the likelihood that the smartphone would become infected by malware in addition to draining the battery and using up the network.
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