If you have it, delete it immediately Google bans 21 Android applications used by millions

More than 100 million Android users have fallen victim to a malicious program that has spread through hundreds of applications on the Google Play Store, to obtain expensive subscription services without their knowledge, according to a report published by Express .

The scam campaign was dubbed "Dark Herring", as fraudsters used 470 applications found on the Google Play Store to infect the devices of 105 million Android users around the world.

The process was launched as early as March 2020, as victims secretly registered for expensive subscription services that charged them more than £11 (about $15) a month. Operation Dark Hearing is believed to have cost Android users hundreds of millions of pounds in total.

Android users in 70 countries fell victim to the scam after downloading the hacked apps that spread the scam from the official Google Play Store.

The most popular Android apps that publish Dark Hearing have been downloaded several million times, and the Dark Hearing scam was discovered by security experts at Zimperium. This company is a Google partner and a member of the Google's App Defense Alliance, which works to address the malware threat on the Play Store.

Instead of trying to charge a credit card or debits linked to the Google Play app store, the money is paid for dummy subscriptions via a direct payment system known as DCB.

This payment method allows people to add the cost of digital content purchased through the Play Store to their monthly carrier bill.

By using this payment method for fake subscriptions, it means that victims may not realize they were being charged for something they didn't want until weeks later.

Explaining its findings online, Zimperem said, “These malicious Android apps appear harmless when looking at the store description and required permissions, but this false sense of trust changes when users are charged monthly for premium service that they do not receive via direct billing. telecom companies.

Unlike many other malicious applications that do not provide functionality, the victim can use these applications; This means that they are often left installed on phones and tablets long after the initial installation.

At the time of publishing its research, Zimperem said that all malicious apps had been removed from the Google Play Store, along with phishing sites and accompanying scam services.

And if you're wondering if you're at risk, here's a list of the 21 most common apps found on the Google Play Store and used to spread the scam:

Smash.

Upgrade.

Stream HD.

Vidly Vibe.

Cast It.

My Translator Pro.

New Mobile Games.

StreamCast Pro.

Ultra Stream.

Photograph Labs Pro.

VideoProj Lab.

Drive Simulator.

Speedy Cars - Final Lap.

Football Legends.

Football HERO 2021.

Grand Mafia Auto.

Offroad Jeep Simulator.

Smashex Pro.

Racing City.

Connect.

City Bus Simulator 2.

Now if you have already installed these apps before they were deleted from the Google Play store, you will still be at risk even though these apps were removed from the Google Play Store, so check if these apps registered any expensive subscriptions to you without you realizing it.

You'll be able to do this in the profile section of the Google Play Store app, under "Payments and subscriptions." After canceling any suspicious subscriptions, make sure to delete the malicious app from your device completely.