Tag: Malware

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Google Removed From Its Play Store 13 Games That Were Installing Malware On Android Devices

A total of 13 games have been withdrawn from Google Play Store after Google detected that they are infecting the Android devices on which they were installed with malware. Hackers were using malicious programs within these mobile games to access Android-powered smartphones to obtain private information.

These games seemed harmless, and most of them were driving simulators, while some of them even had a great success regarding the number of downloads and were also placed in the trend section of the Android app store, Google Play Store.

This severe security problem was not detected by Google’s own protocols that filter content on Google Play but was revealed by ESET analyst Lukas Stefanko who, through a message on his Twitter profile, showed that 13 applications accumulating more than 560,000 downloads were infected with malware. The analyst’s cryptic message explains that these apps, which have already been removed by Google from the Play Store, installed an additional APK file unrelated to the purpose of the game and without a “legitimate function.”

Google Removed From Its Play Store 13 Games That Were Installing Malware On Android Devices

Apparently, the first alarm signals have come from the users themselves who have installed these applications and have made them clear in Google Play comments, reporting that the game itself does nothing, but they have detected a slowdown of the mobile.

All these applications had the authorship of the developer Luiz Pinto, and in some of the cases, users reported that they were unable to find the icon of the app once installed as, perhaps, the developer himself hid it.

Everything indicates that the malicious programs within these 13 games are adware, programs designed to display advertisements on the infected devices without the authorization of the owner and from which the developer makes money. Google has not made any further comments on this situation besides the announcement of the removal of those 13 infected apps.

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Can You Get Malware and Virus Through SHAREit?

SHAREit is the most popular cross-platform file sharing app for Android and iOS, as well as for Windows and Mac. With SHAREit, users can send and receive all types of files without a hassle. But, since it’s a file sharing app, it raised some concerns for some users who wonder whether they are at risk of infecting their devices or not. So, can you get malware and virus through SHAREit?

SHAREit is considered the fastest file sharing app on the Internet, and, when considering its popularity on official app stores such as Google Play Store and iOS App Store, we have to believe that. In reality, it depends on your Internet connection, no matter what people would say. However, it’s an excellent app, and it allows us to send and receive images, videos, documents, installation packs, wallpapers, and anything else.

Also, SHAREit comes with a builtin video player that runs videos and movies smoothly, along with a music player that permits us to access our favorite music without the need to download it.

Can You Get Malware and Virus Through SHAREit?

First, you should know that SHAREit itself is not a malware or spyware. It’s a clean application, available for mobile devices on both Android’s Google Play Store and iOS App Store, as well as on Windows 10 and Mac. However, it’s a file sharing app, so you’ll expose your devices to potentially-infected files that you receive from others.

To avoid getting malware and virus through SHAREit, always have a running antivirus on your device whenever you download something via this filesharing app. However, you should only be worrying about viruses and malware programs if receiving a potentially-infected file from a device running the same OS as yours since an Android virus, for example, won’t work on iOS, or vice-versa.

In conclusion, SHAREit app is clean and safe, but the files you receive through it might be infected so always have antivirus software running to avoid contaminating your device.

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Microsoft Edge Leads Users To Malware If They Attempt To Download Google Chrome

Malware is a real danger for all computer users. That is why we need to make sure that we have taken all the required precautions. There are many shady websites which can trick you using fake download links or pop-up ads. However, sometimes the risk might be hiding in the most unexpected places.

Many users were surprised to find out that Microsoft’s Edge browser appears to direct people to malware if they tried to download Google Chrome from the browser. The news was reported by Forbes.

How does this happen?

This usually happened with users who had just purchased a new computer that was running Windows 10. These computers usually have Microsoft Edge preinstalled as well. If the user wanted to download another browser, he or she had to use Microsoft Edge in order to do it.

However, when the user typed Google Chrome in the search bar of the browser, the results were not what they were supposed to be. A big ad shows up and it asks you to download Google Chrome from it. When the user used this download, malware problems appeared as well.

Reportedly, this is Bing ad campaign, which could have serious implications for Bing. The ad is aimed specifically at users that attempt to download Google Chrome. The ad takes the user to a domain named GoogleOnline2018.com and the file that can be downloaded is named Chrome setup from Alpha Criteria Ltd. If you are wondering how you can avoid this issue, you should know that it is enough to head over to Google and use it to search for a Google Chrome download link.

It is also recommended that you use Google Chrome as your browser. Recently, Chrome posted a tweet for Cyber Security Month: “Explore the web without worry. Chrome’s security tools will warn you if you’re heading into risky territory. #CyberSecurityMonth”

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Microsoft’s Bing Returned Malware To Those Willing To Download Google Chrome

Even though Microsoft may not like it, as it’s trying to make more and more people use Microsoft Edge, some users download Google Chrome from Bing, Microsoft’s search engine. What’s strange is that Bing returned a malware as a search result, something that Microsoft has been aware of and, allegedly, fixed.

Users who have used Bing to search for how to download Google Chrome have come across malware. It was an ad which ranked ahead of organic results. So many users have fallen into that trap and accessed the malicious link. Microsoft has already solved the problem, as they reported, but it is unknown how many users have been affected. More concerning, however, is that once again the attackers have managed to bypass the security filters of the Redmond-based company, this time directly within Bing, its search engine.

Users who tried downloading Google Chrome from Bing bumped into malware

The malicious ad looked like an organic search result, something that is legitimate, and it was looking like linking to the official Google.com site. But, in reality, the cyberattacker was actually redirecting visitors to googleonline2018.com and offered a Google Chrome version infected with malware. While that malicious link was blocked by the Google search engine automatically, Bing, Microsoft’s search engine, and the Microsoft Edge Internet browser took no action against the URL in question.

Microsoft has stated that “protecting customers from malicious content is a priority,” so they have already removed the ad that was redirecting users to a Google Chrome version infected with malware.

What is even more worrying is that this is not the first time throughout this year when Bing shows malicious results to users looking for downloading Google Chrome. On the other hand, in the Windows 10 store, apps that use phishing techniques to deceive users by pretending to be a well-known company have also infiltrated too often in 2018.

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Top Malware Protection Programs Which You Can Use in 2018

When business owners come across a data breach it usually costs them a staggering 3.9 million dollars on average. This doesn’t mean that if you don’t own a business, then you are safe. Data breaches on PCs can cost several thousands of dollars as well, due to file ransoms, ID theft and so on. That is why you need to have a proper protection layer against malware.

  1. AVG Internet Security

You are probably looking for something that provides great security but that also comes with a great interface. Unfortunately, the latest internet security bundle from AVG lacks a little bit in the usability department but it more than makes up for it with the incredible way of handling security.

  1. Norton Security Premium

Norton has been the biggest title of top malware protection since 1990. The reasons of its survival and dominion are pretty simple. Norton comes out regularly with robust protection solutions that are lightweight enough so that you can easily incorporate them into your digital life. Despite the fact that it comes with a pretty steep price of $110, you can share the burden with your friends, since it comes with 10 licenses.

  1. McAfee Total Protection

McAfee is another big name in the industry. Its latest release provides a solid program that runs well and its price varies depending on what you need. Your PC won’t have troubles with running the program and cool features like McAfee web advisor will show you which parts of the web are safe.

  1. Trend Micro Maximum Security

This malware suite manages to not overwork your computer while still showing you everything you need to know in 4 categories. Even if you don’t use these kinds of programs, you won’t get lost running it, since you can perform scans with the help of the big red button placed in the middle.

  1. Panda Dome Premium

This program organizes its dizzying feature set in a great way and it will protect your computer beautifully. Still, it comes at a pretty high selling price, $116, although it comes with free VPN and live 24-hour tech support as well.

  1. Avast Premier

In terms of the malware protection industry, we can say that Avast is pretty popular up and comer. It looks beautiful with its stylish design and it performs well as well and with its $80 price tag, it is really a competitor for the likes of AVG.

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