AndroidOS_HiddenAd.GCLA
Android users tend to put their full trust in the Google Play Store, thinking that there is no way they would allow any shady or corrupted application on there. However, they need to start taking their cybersecurity more seriously and begin to recognize the risks when downloading new software. In July 2019 a report unveiled that there were over one hundred dodgy applications on the Google Play Store. Some of them got so popular that they had almost 10 million downloads before the developers at the Google Play Store managed to remove them from their platform.
Spams Full-Screen Advertisements
Not all the shady applications contained downright threatening software. Some of them would install adware on the user's Android device. Despite this not being as harmful, it can lead to a lot of irritation and reduced quality of browsing certainly. An example of this is the AndroidOS_HiddenAd.GCLA adware. Once installed, the AndroidOS_HiddenAd.GCLA will waste no time and start spamming the user with all sorts of advertisements. The worst part is that adware does not tend to offer high-quality products. Instead, it often promotes bogus services, pornography, and fraudulent downloads. The AndroidOS_HiddenAd.GCLA is able to display full-screen advertisements, and if that is not bad enough, it is also impossible for the user to close them. Often these advertisements will be several minutes long, and the user would have no choice but to watch them before they can resume using their device as intended.
Persistence
To remain under the radar of the user, the AndroidOS_HiddenAd. GCLA's icon is invisible. This way, the user will have a much harder time locating and removing the AndroidOS_HiddenAd.GCLA adware.
Not all the application which contain the AndroidOS_HiddenAd.GCLA adware were hosted on the Google Play Store. Some applications that would contain this adware were located on various third-party Android application stores. Make sure you install a legitimate anti-malware application compatible with your Android device and be very wary of all the software you install on your device.
