According to a report by Sophos Labs, around 22 click fraud apps were deleted from the Google Play Store last month.
With over 2 million downloads, the malicious apps impersonated as Apple devices to advertisers to extract a premium.
The apps which had the click fraud script received instructions from a command and control server in order to send advert requests to various models of smartphones, Android as well as iOS.
The report suggests that over 249 Android smartphones and Apple smartphones ranging from the iPhone 5 and the iPhone 8 Plus were used to send across the fraud requests.
The apps were maligned to hide the fraudulent clicks along with the advertisements being clicked. Additionally, the malware hid the identity of the apps and the operating system of the device.
Despite their removal from the Google Play Store, they still haven’t been removed from the devices they were downloaded to.
Source: https://fossbytes.com/fraudulent-apps-2-million-downloads-deleted-google-play-store/
Submitted by: Arnfried Walbrecht
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