Solitaire app removed from Google Play after Lookout discovers malware

A solitaire app in the Play Store has been flagged by Lookout as being member of the FruitSMS malware family.

Let’s allow Lookout to explain FruitSMS:

FruitSMS is a simple piece of malware that Lookout has been following for over two years. It trojanizes legitimate applications, but then charges people for otherwise free services via premium SMS. Premium SMS fraud involves tricking a person into texting a premium-rate number. The victim’s carrier then bills them for texting the number, which is then paid out to the criminal.

Google’s own measures missed picking up on the app; however, the company moved quickly to remove the app — based out of Russia — from the Play Store after Lookout made the discovery.

The number of people affected by the still-unnamed app is pretty low considering 50-100 installations were counted by the time Lookout alerted Google. Lookout is using this as another reminder to know about the developer you’re getting an app from and use a security app as backup so you don’t unknowingly harm your device and compromise personal data.

Source: Lookout

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