All Android owners urged to delete three 'dangerous' apps 'immediately'

James Rodger
·2-min read

Android owners have been urged to delete three dangerous "clone" apps today – or risk their bank account being RAIDED. Android owners and users have been told to take action and delete the apps which are in the Google Play Store.

Cyber researchers at ESET found three popular apps are aiming to steal Android owners' personal information. The trio are hiding open-source XploitSPY malware which could be targeting your personal information and details.

Android owners have been urged to check their devices for Dink Messenger, Sim Info and Defcom. People are being warned to delete the three apps immediately - or risk their banks being accessed by cruel and heartless scammers and thieves.

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They form part of a targeted campaign, which began in November 2021, to distribute malware onto Android phones primarily in India and Pakistan, according to ESET. T o delete apps on Android, o pen the Google Play Store app and at the top right, tap the Profile icon.

Tap Manage apps and devices. Manage. Select the name of the app that you'd like to delete. Tap Uninstall. The researchers said: "Apps that contain XploitSPY can extract contact lists and files, the device’s GPS location, and the names of files listed in specific directories related to the camera, downloads, and various messaging apps such as Telegram and WhatsApp."

They further added: "The malware also uses a native library, which is often used in Android app development for improving performance and accessing system features. However, in this case, the library is used to hide sensitive information, like the addresses of the C&C servers, making it harder for security tools to analyze the app."

The report identified ten additional apps that contain code that was based on XploitSPY and shared its findings with Google, it explained in its warning to users across the globe.

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