Millions of users are at risk because a popular app has fooled everyone
Although some Android phones already allow scanning QR codes from the camera app, many users still require a third-party app to enjoy this feature. One of the most popular apps was Barcode Scanner, which had more than 10 million downloads on the Google Play Store, and which has now been removed for inclusion in malware.
Malwarebytes researchers found that the January update for the app on the Google Play Store had included malicious code in this popular app, so they reported to Google about the situation directly.
During the investigation, it was discovered that the app's barcode scanner uses a process known in computer science as obfuscation to prevent the detection of malware. The Malwarebytes team confirmed that the app developer was the same one who injected a Trojan horse into the code, so it wasn't a security vulnerability being exploited by a group of cybercriminals.
Initially, the Malwarebytes team believed that the Barcode Scanner update only included adware because the app constantly sends users to websites with ads that mentioned the phone was in trouble and invites it to download malicious files with the aim of "helping" clean an Android phone.
Since these adware were not only intended to display excessive ads, the research team was able to discover that the malicious code was, in fact, a Trojan horse.
Google has already removed the app from the Play Store and its security software known as Google Play Protect already recognizes and informs users that Barcode Scanner is a dangerous app.
The problem is that even if the app is removed from the Google Play Store, all users who have installed it on their device are still at risk, so it is recommended to uninstall the app immediately.