Last Updated:
Amazon App store is available through its Android devices and as a third-party option for Google users.
Amazon App store is hosting a dangerous app that needs your attention
Android malware threat has been making the news throughout 2024 and we have another major issue spotted in the Amazon App Store recently. The dangerous app alert came via McAfee Labs earlier this month, and the researchers have already informed Amazon about its risk. Amazon’s App store is available as a third-party option and through its Android devices like the Fire HD tablet.
You can even search for it via the Amazon online website/app. The app in question is related to the health of the users and it has thousands of downloads which puts the devices at major security risk.
Amazon App Store Dangerous App Threat: What We Know
The security firm has shared some worrying details about the malware and the app that is disguised as the mode of attack. McAfee Labs says the name of the app is BMICalculationVsn which is being claimed to be the spyware app that has been developed by PT Visionet Data Internasional and this is basically a calculator for your body mass index (BMI).
The people who have installed and used the app need to delete it right away. The McAfee team says, when you click on the calculate button to get the BMI for your body, the app asks permission to start recording which is completely pointless for an app in this genre. In fact, the permission popup clearly says it wants access to information like password, payment details and audio that you play on the device.
That itself is a major red flag which should get people worried about the intention and purpose of this supposed health app. The researcher first discovered the app on October 8 and since then it has added more functions that can be a privacy risk. Google has its own malware challenge on Android but if you rely on third-party app stores, the risks are higher and the company will find it hard to protect people from such threats.
Having said that, Google has its Play Protect alert available to detect and block such malware, and it is highly advised that all Android users keep it active.
