Malware: Over 25 million Android smartphones have been infected.

According cybersecurity researchers, more than 25 million Android smartphones were infected from malware that replaces installed applications such as WhatsApp with their other versions which display a variety of ads.

Η Check Point claims that the walware violates known vulnerabilities of the Android operating system so users should definitely go to the next version of the operating system as soon as possible.

The malware mainly affected users in India, reaching 15 million infected smartphones, followed by the United States and the United Kingdom with 300.000 and 137.000 infected smartphones respectively.

The malware spread through a third party app store of 9apps.com which is managed by Chinese Alibaba. Malware only displays ads, however, its ability to hide inside popular applications allows malicious users to damage a user's infected device more seriously.

In order to infect a device, the user must first download an application from the 9apps online store. Then, this application installs the malware in the form of Google update tool and immediately the famous applications such as WhatsApp, Opera browser, etc., are replaced by falsified infected applications that display ads to the user. According to the researchers, the ads are not malicious but can make money to hackers if the ad is pay-per-click.

There are indications that hackers may be spreading to the Google Play Store where Check Point researchers found 11 applications in the Google Store that contained inactive code snippets of malicious users. Fortunately, Google quickly withdrew these applications.

Check Point believes the attack is being carried out by a Chinese corporation based in Guangzhou, which also has a company that helps Chinese Android developers promote their applications on the platforms.

Aviran Hazun, head of cyber analysis and response at Check Point, said that users who encounter unwanted ads at any time, such as when launching a WhatsApp application, should take action, as the messaging app does not display ads .

Users will first need to go to the Android settings and then to the apps and notifications section. They should then search for and find suspicious applications such as Google Updater, Google Installer for U, Google Powers and Google Installer, which they should immediately uninstall.

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