Not only in the Google Play Store, but also in Apple’s App Store, you can occasionally find dangerous applications that can cause serious problems for users. These include, for example, the following Apps you should delete. They can be threatening in a variety of ways.
Delete app: Pay attention to these 5 copies
If you find a questionable app on your cell phone, deleting it is always a recommended reaction. Anyone who owns an iPhone or iPad can usually feel a little safer because Apple checks the applications in its App Store very carefully and ensures that potentially risky copies do not get into it.
Android users, on the other hand, are more at risk from malware and criminals. These can more easily bypass security measures and smuggle software into the Play Store for download via third-party sources. Accordingly, you should be particularly careful if you use a smartphone with the Google operating system.
In any case, it is important to read reviews and ratings for each application that has caught your interest before downloading. Just one malicious app can get you hacked and your data stolen. For example, experts recommend getting rid of these five apps.
Notice: The applications mentioned have already been removed from the app stores. However, if you don’t know the risks behind it, you may continue to use it.
#1 SuperVPN
This is not the first time that the application has come into the focus of experts. As early as 2020, it was recommended to delete the SuperVPN app. And only recently, in 2023, did analysts come to this conclusion Verdictthat it is “one of the most dangerous and unreliable free VPNs [handelt]that we tested”.
The reasons for this are varied: The application has “invasive logging processes, weak security features, worrying connections to China and cannot unblock web content.” People warned against using this VPN or recommended that they “immediately uninstall” it.
Reading tip: Delete these 3 apps because they track your every move
#2 Noizz
This application is a popular editor for video editing and music. It was downloaded around 100 million times in the Google Play Store in 2023. It was later discovered so Bleeping Computer that the application contains malicious software that may endanger your device.
In detail, this is a relatively new Android malware called “SpinOk” that can steal private data stored on users’ devices and send it to a remote server. It simulates mini-games to arouse users’ interest.
While these are displayed in the app, the malware performs malicious functions in the background, including listing data in directories, searching for specific information, uploading files from the device, or copying and replacing clipboard contents.
#3 Fake ChatGPT Apps
Thanks to the overwhelming popularity of the AI bot ChatGPT, it was inevitable that fake variants of it would emerge, some containing malicious code. A fake ChatGPT app recently brought malware onto many users’ PCs.
It is also important not to fall for false Open AI/ChatGPT apps that appear on both Google Play and the App Store. They often look exactly like the original. But they can contain so-called fleece goods that try to steal money from you.
Reading tip: This is how you can delete Android and iOS apps
#4 Essential Horoscope
Many horoscope apps are simply fun for their users. In the case of Essential Horoscope for Android, this assumption resulted in more than 100,000 downloads on Google Play. Only then did experts from McAfee find it out of herethat it contains a malware called Xamalicious.
The open source framework Xamarin uses this to hide itself on infected devices. It can then take full control to carry out fraudulent actions without the consent of those affected. This includes, for example, the secret installation of other apps.
#5 UC Web Browser
This browser is only available for Android and belongs to the Chinese company Alibaba through its developer company UCWeb. However, according to cybersecurity experts, the app does not adequately protect data transfers, like Shefinds explained. This can leave personal information vulnerable to criminals and attacks.
Sources: top10vpn, Bleeping Computer, McAfee, Shefinds
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