Apple & Google Remove Large Groups of Adware Apps from Their Stores
Last updated June 23, 2021
- Apple has removed 17 malicious adware and malware apps from its App Store, all of which were made by an India-based developer.
- Google has removed 42 adware apps that were developed and uploaded by a developer from Vietnam.
- In both cases, the discoveries were made by third-party researchers who have reported the apps to the respective companies.
Both Google and Apple had to remove a number of adware applications from their respective app stores, as they mistakenly approved them for addition in the past. This means that there are still quite a lot of users who have these apps installed on their smartphones, and who should uninstall them immediately.
Starting with Apple, the list with the 17 malicious apps that have now been removed from the iOS App Store is given below:
- RTO Vehicle Information
- EMI Calculator & Loan Planner
- File Manager – Documents
- Smart GPS Speedometer
- CrickOne – Live Cricket Scores
- Daily Fitness – Yoga Poses
- FM Radio PRO – Internet Radio
- My Train Info – IRCTC & PNR
- Around Me Place Finder
- Easy Contacts Backup Manager
- Ramadan Times 2019 Pro
- Restaurant Finder – Find Food
- BMI Calculator PRO – BMR Calc
- Dual Accounts Pro
- Video Editor – Mute Video
- Islamic World PRO – Qibla
- Smart Video Compressor
Source: Wandera
As you can see from the list above, the apps feature a certain variety, but they all come from the same developer, "App Aspect Technologies." This India-based developer has added malware and ad-click-fraud code in 17 apps listed above, which are both elements of a violation of the App Store’s guidelines. Their discovery is attributed to Wandera researchers who have reported the problem to Apple.
Similarly, 42 Android apps that were revealed to be adware were discovered by Lukas Stefanko, of the ESET security team. The apps belong to the “Ashas” adware family, which connects to a C&C, exfiltrates basic device data, and receives instructions on the displaying and clicking of ads. The set acts tricky, increasing its operational level of stealth and resilience. In this case as well, the developer of all 42 apps is one entity, going by the name “Mini Games House” and based in Vietnam.
Source: We Live Security
It is important to point out that if you have an app from this developer, trying to remove it the traditional way won’t work as expected. This is because these 42 apps add a shortcut in the menu, and not the actual app icon. To make sure that you have removed the adware apps, use the relevant option from within your “Settings” app. After removing the malicious apps from your Android or iOS device, consider using a mobile security solution from a reputable vendor, so as you won’t have to wait for a researcher to discover a set of nasty apps next time.
Have you been using any of the apps mentioned in this post? Let us know of the details in the comments section down below, and help us spread the word of warning by sharing this post through our socials, on Facebook and Twitter.