A group of 43 Android apps with over 2.5 million installs has been found to load ads even when the user’s phone is turned off.
The apps, which are mainly media streaming and news aggregator apps, were discovered by McAfee’s Mobile Research Team.
Source: McAfee
The apps exploit a feature in Android that allows apps to be excluded from the power-saving system. This means that the apps can continue to run in the background, even when the phone is turned off. The apps use this to load ads, which can drain the battery and slow down the phone.
McAfee has reported the apps to Google, and the company has removed them from the Play Store. However, the apps may still be installed on some devices.
Users who are concerned about their phones being infected with these apps should check their app list and uninstall any apps that they do not recognize.
