Android Malware in QR Code Apps Secretly Infect 1 Million Users

A new Android Malware has infected millions of users which is quite alarming. This Malware is hidden in harmless app and reached user’s through QR code. Around Six QR readers and smart compass App contained Malicious Code which somehow passed through Google’s Play Store undetected. Android Malware in QR code Apps is some what alarming for many users.

Android Malware in QR Code Apps is Discovered by SophosLabs

The apps having malware were downloaded more that 500,000 times before google eradicated them. The name of Malware is Andr/HiddnAd-AJ, discovered by researchers at SophosLabs. These researchers published an article about their findings last week. The code remain hibernated  on devices till six hours after installation. After this time, it bombards affected devices with ads and notifications.

The main purpose behind this malware is to generate ad revenue clicks for perpetrators. The researchers refrained to disclose the name of seven apps spreading malware but four of them can be seen in image below.

What to do if you Suspect your App has malware:

If you feel that the Apps in your device contains malware, try reinstalling it. If you are not able to do so it means Google has removed that offending app form play store. Many people are informed about this scanning feature and Google has asked them to refrain from downloading them.

Google has more than 3.5 million apps and has very good security system to analyze which of them are fake. Robust security system helped Google remove 39 million harmful apps from the store in 2017. The search engine, Google has also a reward scheme for those who discover malicious content there.

Also Read: Now Enjoy 39 New Languages of Google Maps