- Gen Research claims that malicious applications on the main application stores are increasing
- New banking horses, predatory and similar loan applications have been identified
- Official application stores are always safer than third parties
Application stores are becoming an increasingly important security problem, as more and more malicious applications are discovered in stores belonging to major brands, experts have warned.
A new report by cybersecurity researchers Gen claims that he observed new mobile bankers (telephone applications designed to steal bank information) launched in the fourth quarter of 2024, often disguising visa applications, dating applications or browsers chrome. Gen added that the well -known Bankbot Banker compromised 236% more devices compared to the previous quarter.
In addition to bankers, malicious loan applications have also increased, researchers said. They promise rapid money, but require excessive authorizations (SMS, photos, sensitive data) that they use later in extortion, threatening to publish data on victims unless they pay.
Generally sure
Gen has also noted that cybercriminals adopt new distribution tactics in application stores. Recently, they discovered a new malicious strain disguised as a body index calculator (BMI). The application was widespread via the Amazon App Store.
The main application stores such as the Apple App Store, Google Play Store and Samsung Galaxy Store are generally safe because these companies are investing strongly in safety measures to protect users. They use automated detection of malware, opinions on manual applications and strict developer policies to prevent harmful applications from reaching their customers.
Functionities such as Google Play Protect of real -time scan applications, while the Apple notarization process guarantees that applications are verified before approval. Regular security updates, user report systems and applications suppression policies are still improving security.
Obviously, no platform is completely without risk. We have seen malicious applications make their way in these stores in the past, and we will probably also see them in the future. However, these application stores provide a significantly safer environment than third party or unofficial sources.
