Can you trust your Android antivirus software? Malicious fake protection apps flood Google Play Store

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Hundreds of fake anti-virus apps are capitalising on fears around WannaCry and other ransomware to trick mobile users into downloading adware, trojans and other malware.

Many of these malicious apps are available to download in the Google Play store and a proportion claim to protect the user against WannaCry – even though the ransomware doesn’t target mobile devices.

Fake WannaCry protection apps first started appearing in the days after the outbreak, but despite the immediate threat subsiding, malicious developers are still attempting to cash in on fears triggered by the incident and the raised profile of cyberattacks and hackers.

Cybersecurity researchers at RiskIQ have discovered hundreds of examples of apps that claim to help defend mobile phones from attacks, but instead expose them to new threats or unwanted programs.

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