Credit: Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority
- A popular barcode reader application for Android was considered malicious.
- The Barcode Scanner was found to house a trojan that opens fake websites and solicits application downloads.
- The application has already been removed from the Google Play Store.
Some popular apps on the Google Play Store may seem harmless at first, but a new report reminds us that we should always be aware that apps can change. Malwarebytes (h / t: 9to5Google) found that a popular barcode scanning application is infected with malware.
The application in question, simply called the Barcode Scanner, is developed by Lavabird Ltd. According to the title, it is a free application that allows the reading of bar codes and QR codes. While free applications generally employ advertising SDKs that tend to become overly aggressive at times, Malwarebytes explains that this was not the case with the Barcode Scanner.
Instead, a new update sent to the application added lines of malicious code. The security company discovered that it was a trojan, specifically Android / Trojan.HiddenAds.AdQR. The malicious code also used “heavy obfuscation to avoid detection”, the report adds.
The malware targets users, automatically launching the browser, loading fake websites and pop-ups and requesting the installation of malicious applications.
Before the malware problem was discovered, Barcode Scanner was a popular application. It featured a four-star rating on the app store with over 73,000 reviews. The Play Store suggests that the app has been installed by more than 10 million users. However, since Malwarebytes’ report, the app has been completely removed from the Play Store.
Do you have the Barcode Scanner installed?
There are a number of barcode scanning apps on the Play Store, but you’re looking for a specific product with the package name com.qrcodescanner.barcodescanner. If you have this specific application installed, it may be best to discard it immediately.
It is not uncommon for malicious applications to reach the Play Store. Although Google has implemented layers of security and checks to mitigate this, these buffers are not always sufficient. But in the case of the Barcode Scanner, it is very difficult to eliminate seemingly safe applications from sudden Trojans.
If you want to increase the security of your device, we have a list of security applications and antivirus applications for Android.