Google Play Store users need to be careful when downloading apps on their devices. McAfee’s mobile research team discovered more than 60 apps containing a malicious third-party library called Goldoson. These apps have accumulated over 100 million downloads on ONE store and Google Play Store in Korea. The McAfee’s report mentioned that If you install a malicious app, criminals can exploit it to get access to your phone’s Wi-Fi history, connected Bluetooth devices, active apps and even view nearby GPS locations. This implies that a criminal has the ability to track an individual’s movements and know their exact whereabouts.
In addition, the gallery may engage in ad fraud by secretly clicking on ads in the background without the user’s knowledge or consent. McAfee notified Google of these dangerous apps and is said to have informed the developers that their apps are in violation of the law. Google Play policy and corrective action must be taken. In fact, some apps have been removed from Google Play Storewhile others are updated by the developers themselves.
How do these apps endanger users?
The Goldoson library registers devices and retrieves configurations remotely. The library name and remote server domain are different for each application and they are obfuscated. The name Goldoson is derived from the domain that was originally discovered.
However, there is good news for Indian users. While the issue mainly affects users in South Korea, there are no reports of Indian users being affected by this bug. However, this is a reminder to all Android users to be cautious when installing new apps. application on their device.
What should Google PlayStore users do
Although malicious libraries are not created by the developer but by others, the risk to users who install these applications still exists. Therefore, users are advised to update their apps to the latest version to remove the identified threat from their devices.
You should make sure that your phone has the latest software update to stay away from unknown malicious files and downloads.
