Bitdefender researchers discovered over 60 thousand completely different samples (unique apps) carrying adware while testing a new version of their Bitdefender Mobile Security application.
The good news is that none of these apps were downloaded from the Google Play Store but loaded directly as the result of web searches, aka “Sideloaded”. The attackers are targeting risky online behavior.
The victims were searching for content like the following:
Game Cracks
Games with unlocked features
Free VPN
Fake videos
Free Netflix
YouTube/TikTok without ads
Takeaways:
If you want an app for your phone, get it from the App Store
Looking for sketchy apps will likely lead to sketchy results
Definitions
Adware - Software that displays unwanted advertisements on a computer or mobile device. Adware may also track a user's browsing habits and collect personal information for targeted advertising.
Sideload - The process of installing an application on a device from a source other than the official app store or distribution channel. This can be done by downloading the app directly from a website or transferring it from a computer to a mobile device using a cable.
Source: Bitdefender
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