Productivity app on Google Play Store caught hiding malware

Like millions of other Americans, you probably made a few resolutions entering the new year. If you want to start 2023 right, include better cybersecurity on your to-do list.Start

by deleting these five redundant apps from your smartphone. That’s just the beginning. A productivity app that made its way to an official app store was recently caught hiding

malware. It’s designed to steal banking credentials to rip you off. If you have it on your device, remove it ASAP!Read on for details on this sneaky app and a few ways to stay

protected.Here’s the backstorySome people look to productivity apps to simplify their lives. They can make it easier to stay on top of essential tasks in your life. The problem

is productivity apps are primary targets for cybercriminals as they use them to spread malware.That’s precisely what happened with a recently discovered malicious app that was

available on the Google Play Store. Researchers with the Zscaler ThreatLabz team found a productivity app called Todo: Day Manager was spreading the Xenomorph banking Trojan. Your

daily dose of tech smarts Learn the tech tips and tricks only the pros know. Once downloaded, the app asks for access permissions, one of which adds itself as an administrator.

This prevents you from disabling Device Admin on the phone. With elevated privileges, the app has complete control over your data.Not only does the banking Trojan steal financial

account credentials, but it can also intercept text messages. That means criminals have access to two-factor authentication (2FA) codes for the accounts you have enabled 2FA.What

you can do about itThe best defense against malicious apps is to only download applications from official app stores and never from third-party libraries, as they often contain

viruses. Third-party app stores don’t have the security protocols you’ll find with Google Play or Apple’s App Store.This malicious app was in the Google Play Store, but

it’s not the norm. If you installed the Todo: Day Manager app on your Android device, delete it immediately!Here’s how to delete any app from your Android phone:Open the Google

Play Store app.At the top right, tap the Profile icon.Tap Manage apps & devices > Manage.Then, tap the name of the app you want to delete.Tap Uninstall.A great way to stay

safe is to look at the comments and reviews before downloading an app. If an app is hiding malware, there’s a good chance other users will report it and make a note in the

comments. If something feels off, do not download the app.Another thing to do is to pay attention to access permissions when installing an app. Ensure that the permissions align