Researchers recently uncovered 49 adware-laced Android apps that were downloaded from the Google Play store more than 3 million times, collectively, before they were reportedly removed.
Many of the apps were disguised as games, video editors and stylized photo and filter programs. Sample titles included Cut Out Studio Pro, Tattoo Maker, Bubble Effect, CLOWN MASK, Magazine Cover Studio and Music Video Maker.
Users who downloaded the apps have complained in reviews of repeated and intrusive full-screen pop-up ads, as well as ads that pop up when users either click or unlock the screen, according to a Nov. 7 Trend Micro blog post written by company researcher Jessie Huang. Moreover the adware registers itself as a foreground service so it can run whether or not the device owner is actively using the downloaded app.
“The continuous display of ads popping up will consume the battery of the phone, which is an issue that has been around for years,” Huang states in the blog post. “And it will also affect the memory: Since the running process is considered a foregr ..
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