Samsung Hosts Malware In Fake Apps On Samsung Store

Malicious applications are offered through Samsung’s official Android app store, the Galaxy Store. A similar case of Huawei’s App Store only became known in November: Both manufacturers apparently have a problem with their security controls.

This is reported by Android Police. However, Samsung doesn’t just sell apps that can potentially expose customers to malware and are dangerous. The malicious apps that Android Police discovered are all clones of a well-known, now discontinued app called Showbox. Showbox itself is an illegal offering because the app-enabled piracy for access to copyrighted content, including movies and TV shows.

A number of so-called riskware apps have now been found in the Galaxy Store that does not have exactly known functions – malware often comes to piggyback or is automatically installed by the apps later. These were clone apps that were advertised as streaming apps and promise anonymous access to protected content via an integrated VPN tool. Sometimes this function was also available – but the real purpose of the apps was not to offer users entertainment for free. The fact that the apps made it into the Galaxy Store is basically a scandal. Samsung should have rejected these apps for what they claim to be, even if they presented no other risk. They promise an illegal offer and then steal from their users.

Malicious apps

Google Play Protect warnings are effective for all of these apps and warn users about the application. These clone apps require access to permissions that allow malware to be installed on the Android device. If the user agrees to these requests, the apps can also access sensitive personal information such as contact lists and call logs, execute code, call up user data, and much more.

However, when checking in the Samsung Galaxy Store, the submitted apps are only checked for malware functions or malicious behavior, so that copyright infringements are irrelevant. However, since the apps themselves do not contain any malicious code, they are not classified as malicious and are therefore not removed from the store.