ANDROID owners have been urged to delete 28 dangerous apps lurking on Google Play that can hack into their Wi-Fi networks.
Out of the 28 in total, Human’s Satori threat intelligence team has found that more than a dozen are masquerading as free VPN apps.
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Google is pretty good at catching dodgy apps before the land on the Play Store – but some apps fall through the cracks.
When just one of these apps is downloaded on an Android phone, that device can then be used as a secret proxy.
The proxy is manipulated by hackers to route internet traffic through devices located in homes for their own dodgy dealings.
When hackers do this, it makes malicious web activity look like legitimate web traffic which is less likely to be blocked.
It’s mostly used as a method of getting away with ad fraud, spamming, phishing and stealing login credentials and passwords to various accounts.
Victims who install one of these apps will have their internet bandwidth hijacked without their knowledge – which can wreak havoc on their Wi-Fi speeds.
In the worst case scenario, there is a risk legal trouble if your home appears as the source of malicious activity.
Signs your Wi-Fi has been hacked
There are a few sinister signs there’s a hacker surfing your internet waves.
- Your internet is suddenly and mysteriously slow, even though there are no problems in your area
- Mysterious increase in pop-up alerts
- You’re unable to log in to your router’s admin settings
- The browser is redirecting you
- ISP is sending you suspicious activity alerts
- You can’t control your devices
- You find software or apps on your devices that you don’t remember downloading
Of the 28 applications, 17 have been passed off as free VPN software.
Check the full list below:
- Lite VPN
- Anims Keyboard
- Blaze Stride
- Byte Blade VPN
- Android 12 Launcher (by CaptainDroid)
- Android 13 Launcher (by CaptainDroid)
- Android 14 Launcher (by CaptainDroid)
- CaptainDroid Feeds
- Free Old Classic Movies (by CaptainDroid)
- Phone Comparison (by CaptainDroid)
- Fast Fly VPN
- Fast Fox VPN
- Fast Line VPN
- Funny Char Ging Animation
- Limo Edges
- Oko VPN
- Phone App Launcher
- Quick Flow VPN
- Sample VPN
- Secure Thunder
- Shine Secure
- Speed Surf
- Swift Shield VPN
- Turbo Track VPN
- Turbo Tunnel VPN
- Yellow Flash VPN
- VPN Ultra
- Run VPN
If you have unknowingly installed one of these apps, it’s advised to delete it immediately.
Then you will want to log into your router and change the password that’s used to access your router settings.
Then you should change the wireless network password to something unique and not easily guessable.
Must-know Android tips to boost your phone
Get the most out of your Android smartphone with these little-known hacks: