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Due to a malicious bug, Google has proceeded to deleting 60 games from its Play Store. Security firm Check Point uncovered the malicious bug that showed porn in game apps. Many of the games were aimed at children. Some of the removed games have been downloaded over 1 million times, like Five Nights Survival Craft and McQueen Car Racing Game, based on the Disney Pixar character from the film Cars.
The malicious app is called Adult Swine, and Check Point said that the big displays inappropriate and pornographic ads, which are attempts to trick users into installing face security apps, and also attempts to get users to sign up for premium services that are charged directly to the user’s account.
A Google spokesperson told the Financial Times, “We’ve removed the apps from Play, disabled the developers’ accounts, and will continue to show strong warnings to anyone that has installed them. We appreciate Check Point’s work to help keep users safe.”
When the malicious code was installed on your phone, the code would execute when the device is unlocked. Many users left reviews on the Google Play Store for some of the apps. One user says, “Don’t install for your kids. I did and my son opened it and a bunch off thilthy [sic] hardcore porn pictures popped up.” Check Point made a note that the bug’s configurations made it so there was no icon appearing, making it tougher to be removed by the user.
While some ads showed pornographic images, there were other apps that displayed fake notices which that the phone had been infected by a virus and provided a malicious link to a fake virus cleaner. Then there were some ads that tried to trick the user into giving up their phone number by telling them that they had won a prize. The phone number would be used to register for premium services.
If you’re interested in reading Check Point’s list of affected apps, take a look at its research post for all the details.
