14 DAY TRIAL // Google has never been a big supporter of modern Windows, and aside from a basic search tool, the company hasn’t brought any of its super-popular apps to the Windows Store.
So this weekend when a supposedly official Google Photos app hit the Windows Store, many users were excited.
But as it turns out, the app, which was called “Album by Google Photos” and published by a company called “Google LLC,” was nothing more than malware that was disguised as a Google app. And which, for some reason, managed to bypass Microsoft’s filters and become available for download.
While some users did believe this was the official Google Photos app for Windows 10, some of the reviews posted on the Windows Store signal this is malware that shows ads in the background and clicks them to generate revenue for developers.
App already removed
As AL noted on Twitter, Google LLC isn’t an official publisher on the Microsoft Windows Store, so this was just a trick to make the app look legitimate. However, the more important question certainly raises questions regarding Microsoft’s verification process, which for some reason failed to detect a malicious app.
As said, the reviews on the Microsoft Store also warn this is a fake app. “100% fake app, pops up a box about malware and to call Microsoft. Asks for credentials,” one review reads.
And while the app does require the user to enter their Google account information, there’s not known if any accounts were compromised. However, keeping an eye on your Google account activity is recommended if your information was provided in this app.
Microsoft has already removed the app from the Microsoft Store following user reports, so it can no longer be installed. It’s not clear how many users actually downloaded it, but there’s a chance it didn’t have the time to do much damage given the overall popularity of the Store.