Google just released the fourth installment of its Android security review 2017 which is targeted at creating awareness and educating public on how to deal with security issues on cell phones. In the review, what caught the interest of many is how Google’s own service called Google Play Protect identified the most common and potential risks to Androids. 60.3% of PHA’s or potentially harmful apps were identified through Google protect which is currently enabled from 2 billion devices. Google Play protects scans Android apps for any malicious threat or risk and is one of the most effective apps to locate harmful PHA’s. While Google does its bit to scan harmful apps, there are many who put your phone at risk. Here are 12 dangerous android apps to delete immediately and if you don’t have them on your Android don’t bother installing them at all.
According to ESET, the Android weather app has been weaponized by hackers making it work like a Trojan that can infect your Android with banking malware is known as Trojan. Android/Spy.Banker.HU. When you download this app, you enable the malware to unlock or lock and intercept texts coming to your device. Even your banking information can be hacked via a command and control server.
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If you know what Pictionary is, then this is a remote version of it which you can play along with friends. It may be amusing but it is dangerous as well. It contains a huge number of advertiser libraries that include third-party coding of other developers that can again be used by hackers or app developers to track you via any app that uses this library.
Using the “read phone status and identify” feature to allow advertisers access to your data such as phone number, signal information, call log, and much more.
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Don’t be fooled into thinking this is a secure lock screen and is better than your phones default locking feature. This has access to your screen and acquires all permissions that are available from your location. It can then access your text messages and transmits information to third-party app developers and stores that have low-security features in comparison to Google Play.
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Al those photography fans out there should be careful about this one. Camera 360 gives you a load of promises and freebies where you can add more camera modes, choice of filters, cloud storage for free, facial recognition, real-time, and a variety of various touch-up features without interference from ads. However, it collects a huge amount of information form your device. It contains the Baidu search engine which is the Google of China which can turn your Wi-Fi on and off with the help of the app.
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Optimizers like a clean master, rational approach, housekeeper and OptimOk should be avoided at all costs. Clean Master may not be very dangerous and can correct rogue apps or problems in the phone related to space and storage. These usually clean the cache too fast which should be untouched if not giving a problem. Optimizer apps usually have adware in them that ingrains deep into your phone. Moreover, even when not working, they drain your battery life over time in a big way.
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Everyone knows this popular app which is actually a kiddie’s game that gives you responsibility over a kitten but it isn’t worth it when you realize the privacy breach that comes along with it. The app comes with an unknowing baggage of 8 ad libraries and can also transmit audio from your device to advertisers for information.
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“Lights-out” is a dangerous malware that has been identified by a cybersecurity company called Checkpoint. These are harmful apps to be deleted from your device because they generate illegal ad revenue by displaying click bait type of ads displayed on the devices. Users have reported being forced to click on ads to be able to answer calls and other activities on the phone. Among these harmful apps are those that come with free offers of Wi-Fi with features of speed analysis, hotspots, boosters and network guards. Some of them are Free WIFI Connect, Master Wi-Fi key, Wi-Fi security Master, Wi-Fi pro, Smart Free Wi-Fi and Network Guard.
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Everyone wants a flashlight app on their phone but this is one of the most popular methods used by hackers and ad developers alike to promote others like Lights-out or bright LED flashlight apps such as LED Flashlight and Brightest Flashlight. This is one of the dangerous android apps to delete from your phone.
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This was one of the friendlier apps in the past being an easy photo gallery. It was subsequently purchased by Cheetah Mobile who started uploading user data to their servers. The evidence was provided by one Google user who found a raft of new DNS requests which he attributed to the app.
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This was an amazing app five years ago but the free version is now pumped up with bloatware and adware which nags you a lot to download additional apps through bar notification popup that cannot be disabled.
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UC browser is a popular Android web browser in both India and China. It comes as a default browser in Lenovo phones and claims a fast mode that will save you a lot of memory because of compression.
The bad thing about UC browser its tracking where users search queries are sent to Yahoo India and Google without encryption which includes a user’s IMEI number, Android ID and WI-FI Mac among others. It uses non encrypted geolocation data to transmit to AMAP an Alibaba mapping tool.
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Among dangerous android apps to delete, Music Player has too many ads but what irks users most is the huge amounts of data it eats through and also destroys battery. People have reported gigabytes of data being consumed as well as massive battery usage.
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