Necro
The Android OS takes up about 88% (according to a Statista report) of the global market share, making it the most popular OS for smartphones with a huge leading margin. The largest application platform for Android is the Google Play Store. Having in mind the sheer number of Android devices in the world and the countless applications tailored for them it is easy to see how the Google Play Store is struggling to keep off all the potentially malicious apps which may end up on their platform. Among these malicious applications that have slipped between the cracks is the 'CamScanner' app, which has managed to get over 100,000 downloads. Its software is supposed to be able to convert a photo of a document into a PDF file which the user will be able to edit.
New Update Contains a Trojan
The free variant of the application displays ads, which is a normal practice for free apps as it helps the creators generate revenue without making the user pay anything. However, the CamScanner's code was recently laced with a minor addition to the library it uses to push ads - the new code has been identified as a component of the Necro Trojan, a malicious Android Trojan-Dropper that first made the news when it was discovered on brand new Chinese smartphones which has this same strain of malware pre-installed.
CamScanner Taken Off Google Play Store
As soon as the presence of the Necro Trojan was spotted on the CamScanner update, the Google Play Store took down the application, but this measure may be too little, too late for thousands of users globally as their devices are likely already carrying the Trojan. This Trojan will not affect your device on its own, but it allows a shady individual to plant additional malware on it, which may be much more dangerous.
The Google Play Store's security measures have failed their users time and time again, so do not trust every application that is hosted on their platform. Be very mindful of the software you install on your device as you may end up with a lot of headaches if you are not careful. It is also advisable that you download and install an anti-malware solution for your Android device, which will keep it safe in the future.
