January 8, 2019
Google has removed 85 apps from its Play Store after finding out that they were pushing aggressive, full-screen adware to Android users.
With the rise in the mobile market, Adware has become one of the most prevalent mobile threats in the world. Adware has traditionally been used to aggressively push ads like banners or pop-ups on mobile screens to make money for its makers.
The now-removed 85 apps in question disguised as games, streaming TV, and remote control simulator apps in the Google Play store and had collectively been installed by nine million users all over the world.
Researchers from cyber security company Trend Micro spotted these apps which has the ability to bombard user devices with full-screen advertisements at regular intervals or when users unlock their device by monitoring their screen unlocking functionality.
The apps can display ads even when you are not browsing the internet, hide themselves and run in the background on infected devices.
