14 DAY TRIAL // The famous CamScanner Android app was removed from Google Play Store after it was revealed that some of the versions had embedded malware. It turns out that it might not have been their fault.
Google is trying to keep its store as clean as possible, but some apps fall through the existing cracks. Even if the company implemented Play Protect, a service that automatically scans apps during install, CamScanner had no problem and past right through.
In case you don’t already know, CamScanner is a famous app that helps people scan files and save them as PDFs. It’s one of the most used on Android, and it’s been around for many years. The application is constantly upgraded and new features added, but it also integrates ads. And this is where the problem lies.
The malware was after clicks and nothing else
If you are a CamScanner user you can rest easy. Even if some of the previous versions had malware, it was embedded in the ads from a company called AdHub. The malware would generate false advertising clicks and nothing more, which is one of the most benign form of malware, although it could have easily been much more.
Google quickly took steps into removing the software from the Google Play Store, which is a heavy blow for the application, but it seems that they are working to get it back. The developer explained what happened in the release log for a new version, which was made available outside of the store.
“Our CamScanner Team has recently detected that the advertisement SDK provided by a third-party named AdHub, integrated in Android Version 5.11.7, has been reported for containing a malicious module that produces unauthorized advertising clicks. Injection of any suspicious codes violates the CamScanner Security Policy! We will take immediate legal actions against Adhub! Fortunately, after rounds of security check, we have not found any evidence showing the module could cause any leak of document data.”
You can download the latest version of CamScanner from Softpedia, which comes from the developers themselves, and which is completely clean. You can also keep an eye on the official Google Play store link.