Malware

Researchers find malicious solitaire app in the Google Play store

Researchers have identified a solitaire app bearing malicious malware in the Google Play store.

The app is a part of the FruitSMS family of apps that engage in premium SMS fraud, tricking users into sending or receiving “premium” text messages, and the user is then billed by their carrier.

The research was conducted by a team working for the security firm Lookout. The app, a Russian-language game was only downloaded 50-100 times and has been removed from the Google Play store, according to a Lookout blog post.

In July, another third-party Android app that performed premium SMS fraud was pulled from the Google Play store. The app, discovered by researchers at Zscalers, was disguises as a free version of BatteryBot Pro, a legitimate pay-to-use app for sale in the Google Play store.

SCMagazine.com reached out to Google to confirm that the malicious solitaire app has been removed from the Google Play store. Google did not respond to requests for comment.

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