A report by VPN Pro, a security research firm, revealed that free and apparently beneficial antivirus applications can obtain data from the person through dubious permissions. Apps come with malware that uses authorizations made during the installation process to collect and sell personal information from the user. The software is still available on the Google Play Store and together they amount to over two billion downloads.
Released last Wednesday (6), the VPN Pro document clarifies that permissions, such as Bluetooth and the Internet, are classified as normal by Google and are provided by default. However, permissions that may affect the user's privacy or the normal operation of the device are labeled as dangerous, in which case the person who decides to agree to use the application.
What is the best antivirus for Android in 2019? See options to download
Dangerous Android apps have been downloaded almost 2 billion times Photo: Rodrigo Fernandes / dnetc
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Among the most harmful permissions are access to real-time location and camera access, automatic application launch and file upload to the system without prior authorization. Through these accesses, malware can also spread and add other malicious extensions to the device.
The apps are presented as protection tools for the device, with features to do memory cleaning, virus scanning and optimizing Android. Although Google has already been notified of the action of these apps, not all have been removed from the platform. According to the report, even those who have been deleted from the Google Play Store can perform malicious activities if they remain installed on their mobile phone.
THE dnetc contacted Google’s advisory, but there is no feedback yet at this time. Check out the list of apps to delete them if you downloaded them on your smartphone:
- Security Master
- Virus Cleaner, Antivirus and Cleaner (MAX Security)
- Free antivirus 2019
- 360 Security
- Virus Cleaner 2019
- Super Phone Cleaner
- Super cleaner
- Clean Master
- Super Security
- Antivrus free 2019
- Antivrus for Android
- Antivirus and virus cleaner
- Antivrus Mobile
If you have any of them on your device, you should uninstall it as soon as possible to prevent your data from being obtained and to prevent further intrusion problems.
Android Apps Bring Malware Foto: Marlon Cmara / dnetc
Google creates defense mechanism to reduce risk
With a variety of dangerous apps escaping protection filters and hitting users' devices, Google hopes to reduce the problem by creating the App Defense Alliance.
This is a tough task with security companies to help clean up the Google Play Store. Announced last week, the alliance formed by the brands ESET, Lookout and Zimperium. The companies monitor and research malware for Android and then report problems to Google. The goal is to quickly find potentially harmful apps and prevent them from being published, ensuring platform security.
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I need to be careful and careful when downloading any app. It is recommended to check the credibility of the application through comments left by other users, in addition to observing the developer's reputation and avoiding programs of unknown brands. In addition, it is important to review permissions given to tools, distrust access requests for privacy information, and enable 2-step verification to increase security of your device. Finally, check out the list of best antivirus apps of 2019 to download for Android.
