"Facebook Ads Promoted Apps with HiddenAds Malware, Affects 1M+ Users"

McAfee's Mobile Research Team discovered HiddenAds malware in apps distributed via the Google Play Store. One app masquerades as a system cleaner to delete junk files on devices. Another HiddenAds-laced app claims to help optimize battery life for device management. The infected apps hide and aggressively promote themselves on Facebook, displaying constant advertisements to victims in various ways. When this malware is installed on the victim's device, it automatically launches malicious services, even with no user interaction to open the apps. The malware authors created advertising pages on Facebook to promote these apps to new users. As the link to Google Play is distributed through legitimate social media, there is little room for doubt for users. The adware apps take advantage of the Contact Provider Android component, which allows data to be transferred between the device and online services. The first thing this malware does is set up a permanent service for displaying advertisements. If the service process is terminated, it immediately regenerates. According to McAfee, these apps have already been installed by 100K to 1M+ users. Most of those affected are from South Korea, Japan, and Brazil. McAfee has already reported this threat to Google, and the search giant has removed all reported applications from the Play Store. This article continues to discuss the distribution and impact of the HiddenAds malware. 

Techworm reports "Facebook Ads Promoted Apps with HiddenAds Malware, Affects 1M+ Users"