Delete these malicious Android apps immediately
April 18, 2023
By Kim Komando
We’ve warned you about Chinese apps you need to remove from your phone, and now we need to look to another part of the world.
Over 60 Korea-based apps were removed from Google Play and the ONE store (Korea’s biggest app store). The apps were downloaded more than 100 million times. Here’s what you need to know
The damage
The apps are part of a malicious software library dubbed Goldoson and discovered by McAfee, which reported its findings to Google.
Once downloaded, crooks use the apps to see your location history, Wi-Fi activity, which Bluetooth devices are connected to your phone and the other apps you’re using.
Clickbait
That’s not all. You could be earning money for these crooks. The bad apps interact with hidden ads in the background. The companies placing these ads pay the hackers for clicks coming from your phone.
On top of all that, this malicious activity eats up your data and resources, slowing your phone down to a crawl.
RELATED: How to know if hackers are in your phone
Delete these apps now
About half of the apps have been removed from the Google Play Store, while others were updated to conform to Google’s policies.
If you have any of the following apps installed, get rid of them:
| App name | File name |
| L.POINT with L.PAY | com.lottemembers.android |
| Swipe Brick Breaker | com.Monthly23.SwipeBrickBreaker |
| Money Manager Expense & Budget | com.realbyteapps.moneymanagerfree |
| TMAP | com.skt.tmap.ku |
| GOM Player | com.gretech.gomplayerko |
| Megabox | com.megabox.mop |
| LIVE Score, Real-Time Score | kr.co.psynet |
| Pikicast | sixclk.newpiki |
| Compass 9: Smart Compass | com.appsnine.compass |
| GOM Audio – Music, Sync lyrics | com.gomtv.gomaudio |
| TV – All About Video | com.gretech.gomtv |
| LOTTE WORLD Magicpass | com.lotteworld.android.lottemagicpass |
| Bounce Brick Breaker | com.Monthly23.BounceBrickBreaker |
| Infinite Slice | com.Monthly23.InfiniteSlice |
| SomNote – Beautiful note app | com.somcloud.somnote |
| Korea Subway Info : Metroid | com.whitecrow.metroid |
| GOODTV | kr.co.GoodTVBible |
| UBhind: Mobile Tracker Manager | kr.co.rinasoft.howuse |
| Snake Ball Lover | com.Monthly23.LevelUpSnakeBall |
| Money Manager (Remove Ads) | com.realbyteapps.moneya |
| Inssaticon – Cute Emoticons, K | com.wishpoke.fanciticon |
| T map for KT, LGU+ | com.skt.skaf.l001mtm091 |
| GOM Audio Plus – Music, Sync l | com.gomtv.gomaudio.pro |
| Swipe Brick Breaker 2 | com.NineGames.SwipeBrickBreaker2 |
| TNT | com.p2e.tia.tnt |
| InfinitySolitaire | com.ninegames.solitaire |
| TDI News | com.tdi.dataone |
| TingSearch | com.ting.tingsearch |
| Fantastic | com.celeb.tube.krieshachu |
How to delete apps from Android
- Long-press an app, then tap App Info > Uninstall.
- Or go to Settings > Apps & Notifications to see a list of your apps and delete them the same way.
- You can also open the Google Play Store app and navigate to Menu > My apps & games. Tap on the app and hit Uninstall.
- Note: Samsung and OnePlus phones have an Uninstall option under the app shortcuts menu.
Keep reading
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Here’s why your phone is so much slower now than when you bought it
https://www.komando.com/tips/android/delete-these-malicious-android-apps/