Cyber threats are on the rise these days, and it’s become even more important to know how to protect yourself from such threats. Recently, we saw the dangerous Joker virus resurface on Google Play Store, infecting more than a dozen apps. But now, a new report has revealed that over 9.3 million Android smartphones are running malicious games — but this time from Huawei AppGallery. According to the report, a new trojan called Android.Cynos.7.origin has infected 190 games on Huawei AppGallery, which are installed on over 9 million Android phones.
According to a report from ThreatPost, Doctor Web malware analysts have found around 190 trojan-infested Android games on AppGallery, the official app store of Huawei phones. The infected apps, such as the Cat cute diary, ask for permission to make phone calls, access location, read SMS, and other sensitive data. Doctor Web published a report on Tuesday listing all the infected apps on AppGallery. They estimated that more than 9.3M Android phone users had installed those dangerous games.
The Malware Steals Sensitive User Data and Displays Ads, Huawei Removes All Infected Apps
According to Doctor Web researchers, the apps that are infected with the malware mostly include loads of kid-enticing entries, simulators, games, arcades, strategies, and shooters. While users may enjoy playing these games, researchers say that they’re rigged with a new Android trojan identified as Android.Cynos.7.origin.
This malware is designed to gather users’ phone numbers and device data and to make money by displaying ads on the users’ phones. You can see the full list of those 190 infected apps on Doctor Web’s GitHub page. After finding the Cynos-infested apps on AppGallery, Doctor Web notified Huawei, following which the phone maker removed them all. The company, in a statement, said:
Protecting network security and user privacy is Huawei’s priority. We welcome all third-party oversight and feedback to ensure we deliver on this commitment. We will continue to collaborate closely with our partners, and at the same time, employ the most advanced and innovative technologies to safeguard our users’ privacy.
