The Super-Bright LED Flashlight app, which has been downloaded millions of times, is by itself safe, but some of the ads served with the app deliver malvertising and scams.
Trend Micro found that in some cases when the app is run an ad opens up telling the user the device is infected with malware or has a broken battery. The ad is obviously fake, stating that the “battery is infected with a virus” and telling the user to download a “free” antivirus or optimizer app to resolve the issue. Trend Micro did not say what these ads were delivering, but noted malware is a common threat.
Possibly the greatest harm could come to the app maker's reputation.
“Again, they were not the ones who made the false ad. However, it should be their responsibility to monitor the ads shown in their application,” the blog stated.
SCMagazine.com attempted to contact the app's developer, Surpax, for a comment, but received no reply.
