Google tries to check Android apps that end up in the Play Store so that you don’t get malware onto your smartphones and tablets. Attackers are always coming up with new ways of getting around this. This is also the case with the QR code app, which records thousands of downloads and can steal your bank details and much more.
Version:5/29/14
Languages:German English French
License:freeware
Platforms:Linux
Android app can steal your bank details and more
Again and again there are cases in which it becomes known that Android apps, which should never have ended up in the Google Play Store, contain malware and infect smartphones and tablets. This is exactly what happened with a QR code scanner that has been downloaded over 10,000 times. The problem is that the attackers were extremely intelligent. The Android app itself was harmless. The app only became dangerous with the subsequent installation (source: Cleafy).
The banking Trojan “Teabot” was previously used for phishing via SMS. Now it is also used in Android apps. In this case, it was additionally installed via the app after the security mechanisms of the Google Play Store had already been overcome with the harmless QR code scanner app. The app is affected named “QR Code & Barcode – Scanner”, which Google has since removed. If you are unsure, then uninstall your QR code scanner app with this or a similar name and simply install another app from the Play Store, which should probably be safe.
How to protect yourself from malware:
Antivirus programs do not detect danger
If you have an antivirus program installed on your smartphone or tablet, you should not feel safe. Because if you have agreed to the installation and access to the app, you can too the antivirus program can no longer do anything. That’s why you should take a close look at each app, how it behaves and what permissions you release. Once the Trojan is on it, it can access all personal data and access to apps. So if you are supposed to install additional things via an app that do not come from the Google Play Store, you should always be careful.
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