Beware the “Fun” Driving Game That Slipped Malware Into Your Phone
It turns out that more than half a million Android users were tricked into installing malware disguised as an innocent little driving game. A security researcher from ESET, Lukas Stefanko, posted a thread showing that 13 different gaming apps—each produced by the same developer—were lurking on Google Play. Two of them were even trending, which helped the shady bundle cross the 560,000‑installation mark before Google finally pulled the plug.
What Happens When You Open the “Game”?
At first glance the app appears to be a normal, lightweight driving challenge. The moment you launch it, however, the “game” crashes—no, not a glitch—because the app has commandeered your phone to start downloading more malicious code in the background.
Why This Malware Is Hard to Spot
- Once installed, the junkware shows ads every time your screen lights up.
- The original game icon hides behind a blacked‑out banner, making it virtually invisible.
- It keeps reviving itself automatically whenever you turn on the device.
What to Do If You’ve Been Tapped
If you think you might have caught one of these apps, don’t panic—just run an antivirus scan ASAP. VirusTotal reports that nine well‑known scanners can identify and completely quarantine the infected APK. The way to get rid of the troublemaker is:
Snow‑White List of Reliable Anti‑Virus Tools
- AegisLab
- Cyren
- ESET‑NOD32
- Fortinet
- Kaspersky
- McAfee
- McAfee‑GW‑Edition
- Symantec Mobile Insight
- ZoneAlarm
Final Thoughts
So if your device keeps showing ads every time the lights come on, or if you noticed a mysterious game icon that just doesn’t show any game, you may have fallen victim to the hidden malware hogger. Get an update on one of the scanners above, run a fresh scan, and roll away that pesky phantom until your phone is clean again.
