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You have been warned \u2014 these apps are fake<\/p>\n
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Google has deleted hundreds more<\/a> \u201cfraudulent; apps that were \u201cquietly flooding Play Store.\u201d Those apps amassed more than \u201c70 million downloads,\u201d and so it\u2019s critical you delete them from your phones as well to prevent any more damage.<\/p>\n This latest report comes courtesy of IAS Threat Lab researchers, and they have dubbed the attack \u201cMirage.\u201d It follows on from the team\u2019s discovery in May that \u201cas many as 2.5 million dangerous apps<\/a> were being installed each and every month.\u201d<\/p>\n Just as with those \u201cVapor\u201d attacks, the newer \u201cMirage\u201d campaign centers on delivering \u201caggressive, out-of-context ads to millions of unsuspecting users.\u201d The attack is enabled by \u201csophisticated cloaking techniques, bot-driven fake installs, and a sprawling network of recycled developer accounts.\u201d It\u2019s an industry generating millions of dollars.<\/p>\n ForbesFBI Warns Chrome Users\u2014Stop Downloading These UpdatesBy Zak Doffman<\/a><\/p>\n As I warned earlier this month<\/a>, while ad fraud itself is painful rather than dangerous, once this malware tricks its way onto your phone it can morph into other purposes. Attackers fork such software to deliver more nefarious objectives, including credential theft, data exfiltration and even spyware.<\/p>\n IAS says the “Vapor” fraud scheme demonstrates fraudsters\u2019 persistent ability to adapt and evade app store safeguards.\u201d The team \u201cuncovered almost 300 app IDs linked to the Mirage operation, which collectively garnered more than 70 million downloads, despite providing users with no genuine functionality.\u201d<\/p>\n All of the apps identified have been removed from Play Store, and Google Play Protect<\/a> should warn you if one is running your device and disable its features. But the best advice is always to manually delete any apps flagged in this way.<\/p>\n Examples of fake apps.<\/p>\n IAS<\/p>\n That\u2019s easier said than done though. Here\u2019s the list of fraudulent apps<\/a>. It\u2019s extensive. The better plan is to root through your phone and delete trivial apps you no longer use \u2014 or more likely never used. You should also scan the list and see if you recognize any.<\/p>\n Every app on this list is vacuous and pointless. \u201cMirage reflects how these apps present the illusion of utility,\u201d IAS says, \u201cappearing useful on the surface, but offering nothing real underneath. Like a mirage, the promise vanishes the moment users engage.\u201d<\/p>\n If your phone is infected you should know that. \u201cAds begin popping up aggressively, often independent of any user action. These ads appear when they shouldn\u2019t. For instance, launching in the middle of unrelated apps or when the device should be idle.\u201d That means \u201cscreens hijacked by endless advertising.\u201d<\/p>\n