Security firm SecureList by Kaspersky found a problem with some apps on the Google Play Store. They told another website called BleepingComputer about a tricky Trojan called Necro. Necro was secretly getting into millions of Android phones. It did this through a sneaky trick with advertising code inside some apps.
Two apps on the Google Play Store had the Necro Trojan hidden inside them. One was the camera app called Wuta Camera. Over 10 million people downloaded it. The other app was called Max Browser. Over 1 million people got this one before Google removed it from the Play Store.
Necro can also hide in copied versions of popular apps like WhatsApp, Spotify, and Minecraft. People usually get these copies from other app stores, not the real Google Play Store. Because of this, no one knows exactly how many phones got Necro from these copied apps.
What Does Necro Do?
Once inside your phone, Necro installs ads that show websites in a hidden part of your phone screen. This makes money for the bad guys behind it without you knowing. Necro can also download and run new code on your phone. It may try to trick you into paying for things or tracking where you go online.
Google knows about Necro and is looking into the apps that have it. If you have Wuta Camera or Max Browser, delete them from your phone right away. You should also change passwords for important accounts, just to be safe.
To check your phone and help stop malware like Necro, keep Google’s Play Protect turned on. This scans apps on the Play Store and your phone to find harmful ones. It’s easy to turn on if you have turned it off before. Just follow these simple steps:
- Open the Google Play Store
- Click on your profile picture
- Click on Play Protect then Settings
- Turn on the “Scan apps with Play Protect” setting
- You can also click on “Scan” to check your phone now
Play Protect helps, but be careful about other apps you get too. Only download from stores you trust like the Google Play Store. This can help keep Necro and other troublesome Trojans out of your phone!
