14 DAY TRIAL // The Google Play Store has grown so much that it’s nearly impossible to keep every single malicious item away from it, but the real problem appears when fake apps record millions of downloads and do nothing more than to spam you with ads.
This is the case of no less than 15 GPS navigation apps that were published in the Google Play Store and which, according to ESET malware researcher Lukas Stefanko, recorded more than 50 million installs.
“These apps just open Google Maps or use their API without any additional value for user, except for displaying ads,” the researcher notes. “Some of them don't even have proper app icon.”
Basically, these apps pose as full navigation apps for Android, but instead, they just create a layer between Google Maps and the user in order to display ads. This way, the developer can generate revenue without offering any functionality, as the ads are typically displayed before launching the app and while using it.
Already reported to Google
Furthermore, some of these navigation apps even use fake screenshots that are actually stolen from other GPS apps in the Google Play store that do not break the Google Play Store terms.
“They don't have any Navigation technology or know-how, they only misuse Google Maps. Once user clicks on Drive, Navigate, Route, My Location or other option, Google Maps app is opened,” the researcher explains.
One of the applications included a feature requesting the user to pay for removing the ads and offer a clean navigation experience, which is anyway provided by Google Maps, often coming pre-installed on Android devices.
All the applications have already been reported to Google, but according to the ESET researcher, only some of them have been removed. Most likely, the search giant will pull the rest shortly, especially as more users discover them in the Play Store.