Hot Take Google Removes 224 Android Apps Used in SlopAds Fraud Campaign – How to Stay Safe

[lokamoka820]

Security researchers uncovered SlopAds, a large ad-fraud campaign, and Google has removed 224 associated apps from the Play Store. The apps were downloaded about 38 million times worldwide and generated billions of fake ad requests, so many users may have been exposed. If you think you installed one, this guide explains the immediate steps to protect your device.

Table of Contents​

• What is SlopAds Fraud Ad Campaign
• How to Check If Your Phone is Infected
• Clean Your Phone From Infection
• Protect Your Phone From Future Infections

Google Removes 224 Android Apps Used in SlopAds Fraud Campaign – How to Stay Safe

224 apps tied to the SlopAds ad fraud scheme were pulled from Google Play. Make sure your phone stays clean and secure moving forward

www.maketecheasier.com

 

[Bot]

Google Removes 224 Android Apps Used in SlopAds Fraud Campaign – How to Stay Safe

224 apps tied to the SlopAds ad fraud scheme were pulled from Google Play. Make sure your phone stays clean and secure moving forward

www.maketecheasier.com

Thanks for sharing this update on SlopAds, @lokamoka820! It's alarming how widespread these ad-fraud schemes can get—38 million downloads is no small number. Google acting quickly to remove those 224 apps is a good step, but users need to stay vigilant.

If anyone suspects they've got one of these apps installed, definitely follow the guide's steps: check your app list, uninstall suspicious ones, and run a scan with a reputable antivirus like Malwarebytes or ESET. For future protection, stick to enabling Google Play Protect and avoiding sideloading apps from unknown sources.

Has anyone here encountered similar ad-fraud issues on their devices? Let's discuss prevention tips!

 

[cartaphilus]

How can Google even think about preventing sideloading of apps in android 17 if their own play store is full of malware?!

 

[Sorrento]

I don't think they would have got past Apple so easily? 38 million downloads from Googles own store! Crazy.

 

[Gandalf_The_Grey]

Maybe not that many, but no store is safe from malware:

Thread 'Google Play, Apple App Store apps caught stealing crypto wallets'

Feb 4, 2025

Android and iOS apps on the Google Play Store and Apple App Store contain a malicious software development kit (SDK) designed to steal cryptocurrency wallet recovery phrases using optical character recognition (OCR) stealers.

The campaign is called "SparkCat" after the name ("Spark") of one of the malicious SDK components in the infected apps, with developers likely not knowingly participating in the operation.

According to Kaspersky, on Google Play alone, where download numbers are publicly available, the infected apps were downloaded over 242,000 times.

"We found Android and iOS...

• Gandalf_The_Grey
• Replies: 0
• Forum: News Archive

• 

 

[cartaphilus]

Maybe not that many, but no store is safe from malware:

Thread 'Google Play, Apple App Store apps caught stealing crypto wallets'

Feb 4, 2025

Android and iOS apps on the Google Play Store and Apple App Store contain a malicious software development kit (SDK) designed to steal cryptocurrency wallet recovery phrases using optical character recognition (OCR) stealers.

The campaign is called "SparkCat" after the name ("Spark") of one of the malicious SDK components in the infected apps, with developers likely not knowingly participating in the operation.

According to Kaspersky, on Google Play alone, where download numbers are publicly available, the infected apps were downloaded over 242,000 times.

"We found Android and iOS...

• Gandalf_The_Grey
• Replies: 0
• Forum: News Archive

• 

You see I fully understand the predicament with the current scanners within walled garden app stores. What got me upset is Google saying that the reason they want to stop sideloading is to prevent malware. Here in plain sight that proves to be bullshit what they want is prevent people from blocking ads by using ADGuard and YouTube Vanced.

Greed vailed as fear of malware. Freaking scare tactics.

 

[Zero Knowledge]

The old scare tactic 'because security!' or 'because evil malware'. You just have to dog yelp those phrases and people accept changes that are in fact about improving revenue.

Just come out and say it! People are not stupid. We are doing this because it hurts our advertising revenue, tracking analytics and we want more control over user devices.

 

[Sorrento]

The commonly heard phrase: 'Just install the app' is heard all the time so the uninformed just do that without a seconds though or looking into what they install or from where.

 

[cartaphilus]

The old scare tactic 'because security!' or 'because evil malware'. You just have to dog yelp those phrases and people accept changes that are in fact about improving revenue.

Just come out and say it! People are not stupid. We are doing this because it hurts our advertising revenue, tracking analytics and we want more control over user devices.

"But but but think of the children!!!!! You like children right? You wouldn't want to be the mean person to have this XCFSG (whatever it is) to harm children right?!!"

To those answers I always answer (when folks ask me): "##### the kids, I grew up in a war torn country fighting for my life. So I don't think kid wanting to watch porn at 16 will kill them"

"The Children" is once again on the news as a driving force for censorship. I.e. Texas requiring government ID to enter a porn site. Hahahahahah. Especially the same folks who are against internet porn are massive degenerates themselves. Since only degenerates will think of all the negative things that can be done to kids or are into things like beastiality or some other whacko BS that they think everyone else is obsessed about.

Historically the greatest anti-gay talking heads are later found out to be closet homosexuals. Cough J Edgar Hoover cough

 

[cartaphilus]

The commonly heard phrase: 'Just install the app' is heard all the time so the uninformed just do that without a seconds though or looking into what they install or from where.

That's why any business that requires me to install an app in order to see their menu or obtain a discount will not receive my business.