Fake Android Apps Ran Adware Campaign For Months

Researchers caught a sneaky adware campaign targeting Android users for months. This campaign used several fake Android apps mimicking different utilities like pdf readers, weather apps, VPNs, game cracks, streaming services such as Netflix and YouTube, etc.

Fake Android Apps Deployed Adware

According to a recent report from Bitdefender, they detected 60,000 fake Android apps stealthily running adware campaign since (at least) October 2022.

The researchers caught the malware following the alerts from the anomaly detection technology in the Bitdefender Mobile Security.

Briefly, unlike most adware campaigns exhibiting intrusive behavior, this campaign spread organically. The malicious apps would appear to a target user upon searching for certain apps, such as mod games, free VPNs, etc. Then, owing to their apparent legitimacy, the app ads would lure users into downloading the malicious app.

After reaching the device, the malware relies on the default strategy for Android app installation, requiring user input. Then, once the user taps the “Open” button to launch the newly installed app, the malware executes in the background.

However, on the screen, an error message appears to trick the user into believing that the app failed to install. Yet, the lack of an app icon makes it difficult for the victim to uninstall it.

Upon gaining persistence on the device, the malware remains dormant for some time. Then, after receiving the relevant commands from its servers, the malware starts displaying ads on the device when the user unlocks the phone.

Bitdefender caught this campaign because the malware used the device’s browser to show the malicious ad, which their Mobile Security tool efficiently detected. Similarly, the malware also displays full-screen web view of ads.

The researchers have shared the following demonstration of the malware in action.

As always, to repel such threats, users must avoid interacting with apps or links from unknown sources. Likewise, equipping their devices with robust antimalware solutions is the key to preventing most malware attacks.

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