Thousands of Android Malware Apps Use Stealthy APKs to Bypass Security
In a recent study, Zimperium uncovered a concerning trend in Android malware that uses a tricky method to hide itself from antivirus programs. This APK can be installed on Android devices with an OS version above Android 9 Pie (API 28), reducing the possibility of being analyzed. How was this made possible According to researchers, it was achieved by using an unsupported decompression method in the APK, which is essentially a zip file. While the technique is not new and was first demonstrated in 2014, security researchers have begun noticing its impact only lately. For instance, Zimperium found over 3,000 APKs in the wild, using this suspicious compression technique. A rather concerning part is that these APKs were not found on the official Google Play Store, indicating distribution via third-party app stores or sideloading using some social engineering or phishing attack. Another sneaky tactic emerging lately Just a few days back, Google ...