Android fans are being warned after almost 150 apps on the Google Play Store were found to be loaded with malware.
The majority of the infected apps were released on the Google Play Store between October and November 2017.
So the nefarious Android apps have been on the Google Play Store for more than half a year.
Among the apps are a number which have more than 1,000 installations and are promoted by four-star ratings.
However, unlike other recent Android security threats this time around there is a catch.
The malware found on the 145 apps that were located on the Google Play Store contains malicious Microsoft Windows executable files.
So this malware cannot infect Android devices because it needs a Windows system to be executed.
However, Palo Alto Networks, who made the discovery, warned that this latest malware discovery is a “threat to the software supply chain”.
In a blog post, the security experts said: “The fact that these APK files are infected indicates that the developers are creating the software on compromised Windows systems that are infected with malware.
“This type of infection is a threat to the software supply chain, as compromising software developers has proven to be an effective tactic for wide scale attacks.”
They added: “Most of the infected apps were released to Google Play between October 2017 and November 2017, which means these apps have been in Google Play for more than half a year.”
The only way for the malware to infect affected Android devices is if the phone is connected to a Windows computer.
And then any of the infected apps’ source code would have to be downloaded to run the PE file hidden inside.
Palo Alto said: “The malicious PE files cannot directly run on the Android hosts.
“However, if the APK file is unpacked on a Windows machine and the PE files are accidentally executed, or the developers also issue Windows-based software, or if the developers are infected with malicious files runnable on Android platforms, the situation will go much worse.”
They added: “The development environment is a critical part of the software development life cycle.
“We should always try to secure it first.
“Otherwise other security countermeasures could just be attempts in vain.”
Some of the infected apps Palo Alto listed include ‘Learn to Draw Clothing’, ‘Modification Trail’ and ‘Gymnastics Training Tutorial’.
All of the infected 145 apps have now been removed from the Google Play Store.
