An array of malicious Android apps purporting to be the popular game known as Fortnite are accessing cameras, harvesting and wiping device data, and recording audio on victims’ phones.
Researchers at Zscaler’s ThreatLabZ said that bad actors are taking advantage of Fortnite owner Epic Games’s recent announcement that it would extend the game’s support to mobile platforms.
Fortnite has 45 million players, making it one of the most popular games currently on the market. Epic Games has launched a version for iOS, but an Android version has not yet been announced. So, when Android users search for it in app stores, they’re finding fake Fortnite apps instead — and they’re riddled with malware.
“There is no official news from Epic games about the release of the Fortnite game on the Android platform,” researchers said in a
blog post. “Users should beware of malware authors looking to exploit their desire to play Fortnite on Android. We urge users to download games only from authorized and legitimate sources, such as Google Play.”
