Don't download that app just yet! It may turn your device into a tracker, no thanks to some suspicious malware in apps in Google Play store recently removed by a mobile security company.
Lookout, a mobile security company, said that they removed four apps containing a malware from Google Play store. Overseer was identified to be the malware in the apps, including Embassy, which helps tourists find embassies abroad, according to the CNet report.
The creator of Overseer is still unknown. "The malware was also injected as a Trojan in Russian and European News applications for Android," Lookout said. The malware is also in news apps with low download count and has reviews which seemed to be from fake accounts.
The malware's command and control use Facebook's Parse Server. "Devices infected with Overseer periodically beacon to the api.parse.com domain, checking whether there are any outstanding commands the attacker wants to run," the Lookout said.
Be conscious with what applications you download as the Overseer may be lurking in them. Overseer can get access to your e-mail, location and contacts among others.
Recently, Kaspersky Lab reported they also found a malware in one of the apps, which garnered more than 500,000 downloads, in the Google Play store. "The Trojan presented itself as the 'Guide for Pokémon Go,'" according to the blog. The app has the capacity to have access over the device's operating system, therefore getting unwanted apps.
Google since then removed the apps from their Play store.
