Google tries to check the Android apps that end up in the Play Store so you don’t get malware on your smartphones and tablets. However, attackers are always inventing new ways to circumvent the protection mechanism. The same is the case with the QR code app, which has already recorded thousands of downloads and can steal your banking details and much more.
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Android app can steal your bank account details and more
Repeatedly, there are cases when it became known that Android applications, which were not supposed to end up in the Google Play Store, contain malware and infect smartphones and tablets. This is exactly what happened with the QR code scanner It has been downloaded over 10,000 times. The problem is that the attackers were very smart. The Android app itself was harmless. The app only became dangerous with subsequent installation (Source: Cleafy).
The banking Trojan “Teabot” was previously used for SMS phishing. Now it is also used in Android apps. In this case, it was also installed via the app after the security mechanisms of the Google Play Store had already been overcome by the QR code scanner app. affected app As “QR Code & Barcode – Scanner”which has since been removed by Google. If you are not sure, uninstall your QR code scanner app with that name or a similar name and simply install another app from Play Store, which is probably safe.
How to protect yourself from malware:
Antivirus software does not detect danger
If you have an antivirus installed on your smartphone or tablet, you should not feel safe. Because if you agree to install and access the app, you can too Antivirus can no longer do anything. That’s why you should take a closer look at each app, how it behaves and the permissions it grants. Once a Trojan runs on it, it can access all personal data and access applications. So if you are supposed to install additional things via an app that does not come from the Google Play Store, you should always be careful.
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