Researchers at the University of Sydney conducted a study, according to which Google's Play Store is filled with thousands of apps and games that carry malware .
The two-year study analyzed over a million Android on the Play Store. The results showed that there are a huge number of apps that “impersonate” other legitimate apps and games.
According to the research, about 49,608 apps, which closely resemble the 10,000 most popular apps on the Google Play Store, are likely to be carrying malware .There were also 1,565 apps that requested at least five “dangerous” permissions (unlike the original apps) and 1,407 apps with at least five additional third-party ad libraries.
Among other things, the researchers used a method to detect the similarity between the icons of fake and original apps. It was found that many users were fooled into downloading a fake app because it looked very similar to the original.
The researchers checked the 49,608 suspected apps for malware using the private API of VirusTotal, an online malware analysis tool that Google acquired in 2012.
The researchers also took into account the permissions these apps requested and the advertisementsthey included. However, 35% of the apps are no longer available on the Play Store. They were likely removed due to customer complaints.
Google uses Google Play Protectto protect Android devices from potentially dangerous apps.
It has also instituted stricter policies, resulting in fewer and fewer applications being accepted on the platform.
“Preserving the Android ecosystem is no easy task, but we firmly believe that Google Play Protect is an important layer of security, used to protect users and their data, while preserving the freedom, diversity, and transparency of Android,” Google had previously said.
However, problematic apps have bypassed Google's security system many times
In April, popular Android apps with millions of downloads were discovered to be secretly running video ads and engaging in ad fraud.
The fact that so many dangerous apps have been found in one of the most popular and legitimate app stores is very worrying. If you own an Android device, check the apps you download very carefully. Also, pay attention to the permissions that the apps request. If they ask for access to more information than necessary, avoid downloading them.
