This archive report was first published on 11 November 2019.
Published on November 11, 2019, experts from VPN Pro have sounded the alarm on 15 antivirus apps on Google Play that could be putting Android users at risk.
According to security researcher Jan Youngren, these apps are 'amazingly popular and potentially dangerous' due to their excessive permissions, including access to location data, camera use, and the ability to operate without user knowledge.
The apps, which have been downloaded over 2 billion times, include Antivirus Free 2019, Clean Master, and Security Master. Youngren warned that despite previous findings of malicious activities, these apps remain available on Google Play and continue to amass millions of installs each month.
VPN Pro advises users to be cautious when downloading apps and to only install software from well-known brands. They also recommend double-checking an app's permissions before installation.
Here is the list of potentially dangerous antivirus apps:
- Security Master
- Virus Cleaner
- Antivirus Free 2019
- 360 Security
- Virus Cleaner 2019
- Super Phone Cleaner
- 360 Security Lite
- Super Cleaner
- Clean Master
- Super Security
- Antivirus Free
- Antivirus Android
- Antivirus & Virus Cleane
- Antivirus Mobile
