WARNING: These popular apps are watching PORN behind your back
THESE popular apps load porn websites behind your back – to make money from advertising revenue, an online security blog has revealed.
Android smartphone owners could be at risk from a slew of new scams that use porn webpages to make cybercriminals money.
According to findings by security firm ESET, a number of fake versions of hugely-popular games and apps, including Grand Theft Auto and Subway Surfers, have sprung-up in the Google Play Store.
If a smartphone owner is tricked into downloading the fake app, which often bear an uncanny resemblance to the real thing, the software uses porn clickers to open adult websites in the background of your device.
ESET researcher Lukas Stefanko says this type of scam is a huge problem within the Google Store with cybercriminals uploading fake apps to the platform each week.
During their research, the team at ESET found more than 30 bogus versions of Subway Surfers and more than 60 fake Grand Theft Auto applications.
These apps have nothing in common with the official games and are simply used to try and trick fans into downloading the scam software.
Speaking about the issue, Mr Stefanko said: "This is not the first time these Trojans have appeared on Google Play; they are clearly part of a well-organised campaign.
"We should only expect the e-criminals behind this malware to continue updating their versions to find new ways to bypass Google's security tests and to trick consumers."
The fake apps often disappear once they have finished downloading to your device – making it difficult to uninstall the problematic software.
Once installed, the apps open a hidden web browser session and visit porn websites.
They also trick the owner into clicking on ads which generates revenue for the owners of the sites.
Behind the scenes at a virtual reality porn shoot.
ESET says that before you download an app you should always read the reviews and be wary of any with poor comments.
Google is aware of this growing problem, but ESET says that the issue is too widespread to stop entirely.
Mr Stefanko added: "Google's security team of course fights this campaign and takes the apps off the store pretty frequently, but considering how widespread porn clickers are on the Google Play Store, it is clear that neither the Google Bouncer filter, nor Google's human review process, can keep malicious apps completely out of the Store."
