McAfee warns of 60 dangerous apps on Google Play app, ONE store; Crackdown has started

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McAfee has alerted the public at large about 60 dangerous apps present on Google Play Store and ONE store.

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 McAfee's Mobile Research Team discovered a software library, which they have dubbed Goldoson.

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Notably, Goldoson collects lists of applications installed, and a history of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth devices information, including nearby GPS locations of innocent users.  .

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The software library is featured with the functionality to perform ad fraud by clicking advertisements in the background without the user's consent.

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McAfee's team has found that there are more than 60 applications containing this third-party malicious library, with more than 100 million downloads confirmed in the ONE store and Google Play app download markets in South Korea.

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While the malicious library was made by someone else, not the app developers, the risk to installers of the apps remains.

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McAfee Mobile Security detects this threat as Android/Goldoson and protects customers from this and many other mobile threats.

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McAfee is a member of the App Defense Alliance focused on protecting users by preventing threats from reaching their devices and improving app quality across the ecosystem.

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McAfee reported about the discovered apps to Google, which took prompt action.

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Google has reportedly notified the developers that their apps are in violation of Google Play policies and fixes are needed to reach compliance.

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While as per McAfee Some apps were removed from Google Play while others were updated by the official developers.