21 Malware Apps Google Removed From Android
Google has booted more than 20 applications from the Android Marketplace amid concerns over Android malware.
Android Central reports that Google has used its kill-switch to pull 21 one applications found to contain a malicious exploit called rageagainstthecage. The exploit roots your phone (or tablet), which in turn allows the app to do all kinds of nasty things with your data.
Here’s a list of the apps that have been pulled:
- Falling Down
- Super Guitar Solo
- Super History Eraser
- Photo Editor
- Super Ringtone Maker
- Super Sex Positions
- Hot Sexy Videos
- Chess
- 下坠滚球_Falldown
- Hilton Sex Sound
- Screaming Sexy Japanese Girls
- Falling Ball Dodge
- Scientific Calculator
- Dice Roller
- 躲避弹球
- Advanced Currency Converter
- App Uninstaller
- 几何战机_PewPew
- Funny Paint
- Spider Man
- 蜘蛛侠
The infected apps, all published by a developer called Myournet, were discovered by a Reddit user earlier this week. At least 50,000 people are said to have downloaded the apps. Google’s kill switch will have wiped the bad apples from users’ devices but Android Central reports that Google actually patched its source code to prevent this type of exploit, so users running Android 2.2.2 and up will not have been affected at all.
Further Reading:
CNet
Android Central
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Jane McEntegart works in marketing communications at Intel and was previously Manager of Content Marketing at ASUS North America. Before that, she worked for more than seven years at Tom's Guide and Tom's Hardware, holding such roles as Contributing Editor and Senior News Editor and writing about everything from smartphones to tablets and games consoles.