New malware-laced camera apps detected on Google Play Store

Apps-laced with malware Autolycos are said to be found installed on more than three millions phones worldwide

Google's Android ecosystem is home to more than three billion users and this is very lucrative for bad actors to prey on naive mobile owners.

Despite the efforts of search engine giants, hackers are finding innovative ways to bypass the security to introduce malware-laced apps to Play Store.

In the latest instance, Maxime Ingrao, a French security researcher at Evina Tech has unearthed eight malicious camera and photo editing Android apps.

The app looks benign but is said to house a shady malware Autolycos, which is classified as dangerous and similar to the infamous Joker.

Fake camera and photo editing apps detected on Google Play Store. Credit: Maxime Ingrao

The modus operandi of the Autolycos-laced apps is to illegally subscribe to fake premium subscription service without permission from the mobile phone owners and fleece money.

The owners will never know how they subscribed to an unwanted service, and also it will be late to recover the lost money.

Here is the list of the malicious apps:
Vlog Star Video Editor, Creative 3D Launcher, Wow Beauty Camera, Gif Emoji Keyboard, Freeglow Camera, Coco Camera v1.1, Funny Camera by KellyTech, and Razer Keyboard & Theme by rxcheldiolola.

In total, more than three million people worldwide have downloaded the aforementioned apps and they are at the risk of losing money and some might have already lost money.

Ingrao had notified Google about the apps, but only recently the latter pull them from the Play Store. However, those who have already installed them, are advised to uninstall them immediately.

Also, it is good practice to install anti-virus security apps on Android phones to detect malware apps early before it's too late.

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