Ibekimi Oriamaja Reports
HiddenAds has been recognized as a new malware threat that has penetrated the Google Play Store and has the potential to breach user privacy as well as significantly impact device performance by the Nigerian Communications Commission’s (NCCComputer) Security Incident Response Team (NCC-CSIRT).
The malware was first identified by the McAfee Mobile Research Team, and the NCC-August CSIRT’s 8 advisory indicates that it has a strong propensity to spread and cause harm. There were several malware-infected device cleaners and optimizer apps discovered in the Google Play Store.
“Without the user accessing the program, it can launch dangerous services after installation. It also inundates the user with needless advertising. The apps have between 100,000 and more downloads, the NCC security team advised.
The Nigerian Communications Commission’s leadership was recently praised by the federal government for the organization’s outstanding accomplishments, which have helped Nigeria establish a remarkable international reputation and placed the telecom regulator at the forefront of the nation’s efforts to achieve forward-looking national economic growth.
In a recent meeting with the NCC management team, which was led by Professor Umar Garba Danbatta, the Executive Vice Chairman of the Commission, who provided him with an update on the sector following his recent appointment to the Ministry, Dr. William Alo, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, made this statement.
“Good news thus far, The critical importance of the NCC as a governing body for the Nigerian telecommunications sector is well known within the country and beyond. Alo continued, “As the nation attempts to diversify its economy, “We also know that, in today’s economy, communications are gradually displacing oil as the main source of income for the nation.
He argued that it was accurate to say that during the past few years, service quality had greatly improved, and that the Commission deserved appreciation for its work in this area.
Danbatta listed accomplishments since 2015 in terms of teledensity, broadband penetration, and the industry’s significant contribution to GDP, which increased from 8.5% in the fourth quarter of 2015 to 12.61% in the fourth quarter of 2021. Danbatta attended the briefing with a team that included two executive commissioners and directors of the Commission. The industry garnered more than $2 billion in foreign direct investment during the same time frame.
The programs HiddenAds is also known as Junk Cleaner, EasyCleaner, Power Doctor, Carpet Clean, Super Clean, Meteor Clean, Strong Clean, Windy Clean, Fingertip Cleaner, Keep Clean, Full Clean – Clean Cache, Quick Cleaner, and Cool Clean.
“When a user downloads any of the aforementioned apps, a malicious service is automatically installed on the device whether or not the user has used the app. According to the warning, the program will then attempt to blend into the app tray by switching to the well-known Google Play icon. The name will also change to “Setting” or “Google Play.” The user experience on the device would then noticeably deteriorate as a result of an onslaught of deceptive adverts.
Additionally, it stated that using the compromised software posed “risks to users’ privacy, risk of stealth downloads/installation of other infections, risk of users unwittingly enrolling to services and incurring monthly payments.”
According to NCC-CSIRT, users should refrain from installing suspicious apps or programs “they are unsure about,” and those who have installed any harmful apps should remove them immediately. Furthermore, it said that “when the malicious software’s icon and name have changed, it can be identified by the fact that it is removable but the genuine Google Play app cannot be uninstalled.”
The NCC security team recommended setting up anti-virus/anti-malware software that has a reputation for locating and eliminating malware.
The NCC created the CSIRT to serve as the telecom sector’s cybersecurity incident center and to concentrate on occurrences that could have an effect on the general public and telecom subscribers.
