If your phone is slower, the reason may be these applications that have deceived millions of people in Google Play

 Some time ago, McAfee, a cybersecurity company, discovered the Goldoson malware that had infected more than 100 million users in the Google Play Store. The main problem with this virus was that it displayed ads in the background, fraudulently generating revenue for its developers and worsening the performance of users' mobile phones at the same time

Now, McAfee has discovered an attack called "HiddenAds" that uses malware very similar to Goldoson's and does exactly what its name suggests (opens ads on your mobile phone without you even noticing). Detected in 38 Google Play apps you may have downloaded, it has infected 35 million Android devices globally.

The vast majority of apps attacking your phone with "HiddenAds" are games, specifically Minecraft clones, that display ads in the background while you're playing. The most famous of them is "Block Box Master Diamond" which has been downloaded more than 10 million times.

Fortunately, Google has already removed all of these malicious apps from the Store, but it's important to know what they are in case you still have one installed:

 

-  Block Box Master Diamond

- Craft Sword Mini Fun

- Block Box Skyland Sword

- Craft Monster Crazy Sword

- Block Pro Forrest Diamond

- Block Game Skyland Forrest

- Block Rainbow Sword Dragon

- Craft Rainbow Mini Builder

- Block Forrest Tree Crazy

- Craft Clever Monster Castle

- Block Monster Diamond Dragon

- Craft World Fun Robo

- Block Pixelart Tree Pro

- Craft Mini Lucky Fun

- Block Earth Skyland World

- Block Rainbow Monster Castle

- Block Fun Rainbow Builder

- Craft Dragon Diamond Robo

- Block World Tree Monster

- Block Diamond Boy Pro

- Block Lucky Master Earth

- Craft Forrest Mini Fun

- Craft Sword City Pro

- Block Loki Monster Builder

- Block Boy Earth Mini

- Block Crazy Builder City

- Craft Sword Vip Pixelart

- Block City Fun Diamond

- Craft City Loki Rainbow

- Craft Boy Clever Sun

- Block City Dragon Sun

- Craft Loki Forrest Monster

- Lokicraft: Forrest Survival 3D

- Craft Castle Sun Rain

- Craft Game Earth World

- Craft Lucky Castle Builder

- Craftsman: Building City 2022

- Craft Rainbow Pro Rain

 

The main target of these apps is users in the United States, South Korea, Canada and the United Kingdom, although affected cell phones have been reported around the world.

 

The apps mentioned above are not dangerous, as they do not steal your data or try to access your banking information. They only open ads in the background on your Android device, which slows down your phone. In other words, they generate money for third parties at the cost of your mobile phone's performance.

 

The really dangerous thing about this attack is that it is designed to harm children's mobile phones, because it is hidden in applications that pretend to be Minecraft. So check your kids phone and uninstall these apps if you find them.