Over 400 mn users' phones infected by this spyware! Delete these dagerous apps now

Researchers have suggested that over 421 million users' phones are infected with malicious spyware-loaded apps. Delete them now!

By: HT TECH
| Updated on: Jun 03 2023, 23:51 IST
14 apps blocked by India today! Terrorists in Pakistan were targeting J&K; check list
Cybersecurity
1/5 The central government on Monday, May 1, 2023, blocked 14 mobile messenger applications as they were being used by terrorists to communicate in Jammu and Kashmir with their handlers in Pakistan, people familiar with the matter said. (Representative Image) (HT Tech)
Cybersecurity
2/5 As per the report, the ministry of electronics and information technology (MEITY), issued an order under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act blocking access to the 14 mobile apps on the grounds that they were being used to engage in activities “prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of state and public order”. (Pixabay)
Cybersecurity
3/5 For the uninitiated, Section 69 (A) of the IT Act lets the government take action against posts and accounts that may threaten public order, the interest of sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of the State and friendly relations with foreign States. According to a report by Hindustan Times, a government official said the applications were also being used by overground workers of terrorist groups. (Unsplash)
Cybersecurity
4/5 You can consider deleting audio files, photos, videos, and unnecessary apps to free up storage space on Android phones. (Pixabay)
image caption
5/5 In official communications to higher-ups, the intelligence agencies informed that these apps are spreading terror propaganda in the Valley. Here is the list of 14 apps that are blocked by the government: Crypviser, Enigma, Safeswiss, Wickrme, Mediafire, Briar, BChat, Nandbox, Conion, IMO, Element, Second line, Zangi, and Threema. (AP)
Cybersecurity
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Malicious spyware is using minigames to infect Android users' devices! Do you have any of these infected apps? (Unsplash)

Mini-games have soared in popularity over the recent years. Millions of users take to them for the thrill of it all. However, some malicious apps have been designed to take advantage of this habit of innocent, unsuspecting, users in such a way that they end up downloading spyware-infected apps on their phones. The security team at Dr. Web have uncovered a spyware module within these apps, which they have named 'SpinOk'. Dr. Web team says, "Developers can embed it into all sorts of apps and games, including those available on Google Play."

The danger of this spyware can put your personal information at risk. The report suggests that after being injected into one of the impacted apps, the Trojanized SDK establishes a connection with a remote server to retrieve a roster of websites used for displaying minigames within the apps. The SpinOk module possesses the ability to carry out various malicious operations in the background such as listing files in directories, searching for specific files, uploading files from an infected smartphone, and copying or replacing content from the device's clipboard.

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According to Dr. Web, the mentioned software development kit (SDK) was detected in 101 apps available on Google Play. These apps have been collectively downloaded over 421,290,300 times. However, here are some of the most popular ones among them with maximum downloads.

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Check the list of top 10 infected apps found carrying the Android.Spy.SpinOk trojan SDK:

  • Noizz: video editor with music
  • Zapya – File Transfer, Share (trojan module was present in version 6.3.3 to version 6.4 and is no longer present in current version 6.4.1)
  • VFly: video editor&video maker
  • MVBit – MV video status maker
  • Biugo – video maker&video editor
  • Crazy Drop
  • Cashzine – Earn money reward
  • Fizzo Novel – Reading Offline
  • CashEM: Get Rewards
  • Tick: watch to earn

What should users do

If you use any of these infected apps, then it is recommended to update it to the latest version to avoid any infected version. If you can't find the app on Google Play Store, then it is best advised to uninstall them right away. Also, ensure to scan your smartphone with antivirus to detect spyware.

"The safety of users and developers is at the core of Google Play. We have reviewed recent reports on SpinOK SDK and are taking appropriate action on apps that violate our policies," a Google Spokesperson told BleepingComputer.

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First Published Date: 03 Jun, 22:24 IST
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