Google is reported to have removed 16 utility apps from its Play Store which were causing faster battery drain and high data usage on the Android devices. According to McAfee, the removed applications were performing ad fraud by redirecting to web pages in the background to click on ads impersonating a real user.
The removed apps generally perform the basic tasks such as allowing users to scan a QR code and visit the linked website, turn on the device’s flashlight, or as basic as a currency converter or a calculator.
The removed apps include High-Speed Camera, Smart Task Manager, Flashlight+, com.smh.memocalendar memocalendar, 8K-Dictionary, BusanBus, Flashlight+, Quick Note, Currency Converter, Joycode, EzDica, Instagram Profile Downloader, Ez Notes, com.candlencom.flashlite, com.doubleline.calcul, com.dev.imagevault Flashlight+.
McAfee found that these applications would download code once they were opened and receive notifications to open web pages without alerting the user, clicking on links and advertisements. This activity would artificially raise the engagement on these ads, which is a form of ad fraud.
Google said that all the applications were removed from the Play Store, and that Play Protect blocks these apps on users’ devices. However, McAfee’s report suggests that they managed to bypass Google’s protections on the Play Store.
