• Security: An Android bug allows you to use Bluetooth to hack your mobile
  • Tricks, so you should prepare your mobile phone so you don't lose everything if it is stolen or lost

Attacks on Android phones are becoming increasingly sophisticated and, among all threats, one has become the platform's biggest security issue. These are the 'phantom' applications, malicious applications that once installed acquire administrative privileges and hide their trace on the device to complicate their detection and removal.

According to the latest McAfee Mobile Security Report (PDF) these types of applications are already the most frequent security problem on phones with Google's operating system. Last year they accounted for 50% of all security threats on the platform, 30% more than in 2018 . Removing these applications is complex because it requires first removing administrative privileges, a step that requires thorough knowledge of device security preferences.

These types of apps are not usually present in the official Google Play app store - all apps downloaded from the store can be considered reasonably safe - but attackers increasingly use much more convoluted techniques to deceive users and convince them to install apps from external sources.

gaming chat applications like Discord that promise free versions, for example, of apps like FaceApp or Spotify, or games like Call of Duty. The download pages of these fake applications use icons and images of the rea l application but once installed they seem to disappear from the device.

In reality, they remain hidden and are often used to extract personal data from users and passwords, display advertising on the screen or write positive app appraisals in official app download stores, a service that several criminal networks offer developers for that stand out among its competitors.

"There is a growing tendency for many applications to remain hidden, stealing precious resources and important data from the device," explains Raj Samani , McAfee executive.

The report also emphasizes that the attackers are increasingly looking for younger victims for these attacks, hence many of these apps are presented as camouflaged as video games and with links scattered on platforms such as YouTube or Discord.

Security experts recommend not downloading applications from sources other than official Google stores or manufacturers, using virtual private and encrypted networks (VPN) whenever possible and always keeping the device up to date.

According to the criteria of The Trust Project

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