Google removes five Android apps infected with Mandrake spyware - check if you're at risk
dailyrecord.co.ukIf you're an Android phone user, it's worth checking the full list of apps you currently have installed.Google has recently blocked five popular applications from its Play Store after they were found to be infected with the malicious Mandrake bug.Once installed, this spyware is capable of monitoring users' activities on their devices, collecting data, taking screen recordings and even simulating taps and swipes which can allow hackers to download more harmful files without the user's knowledge.This is a worrying bug, particularly as it's estimated that over 30,000 people downloaded the apps before they were removed.Mandrake was first detected back in 2020 and has now resurfaced.
The security team at Kaspersky suggests that the new wave of attacks may have started in 2022 and have only just been noticed due to hackers improving the way it conceals itself within infected apps.
Users in the UK, Canada, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Spain are all believed to be affected so caution is advised, reports the Mirror.
Here are the five apps you need to delete immediately:Google confirmed the threat to Bleeping Computer and said users should be protected as long as they have Play Protect enabled."Google Play Protect is continuously improving with each app identified.
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