Android users experiencing diminished battery life, decreased mobile performance, and overheating devices may be compromised by cryptocurrency-mining malware, according to a Tuesday post by Trend Micro.
Mobile Malware that mines for cryptocurrencies – including Bitcoin, Dogecoins and Litecoins – has previously been observed outside the official Google Play store, but Trend Micro identified at least two apps on the official store that contain code for mining.
One of the apps, “Songs,” has been downloaded between one million and five million times. That app, as well as “Prized – Real Rewards & Prizes,” was still on the Google Play store as of the posting, according to researchers.
The apps only mine when charging, according to the post, which explains that cryptocurrency is gained at a sluggish pace due to the weaker performance of a mobile device.
