One such app was the Square Photo Blur, which managed to bypass the Play Store security checks. Once installed, the app would disappear from the user home screen and not show “open” function on the Play Store either. The security researchers found the app not functioning as advertised and instead ran out-of-context (OOC) ads for almost every action the user performed on their devices, including unlocking the handset, uninstalling an app, charging the phone, and even switching from mobile data to Wi-Fi. These ads would occupy the entire screen. Additionally, the Square Photo Blur reportedly launches an OOC web browser randomly.
You should delete these apps from your phone if you have them
- Auto Picture Cut
- Color Call Flash
- Square Photo Blur v2.0.5
- Square Photo Blur v7.0
- Magic Call Flash
- Easy Blur
- Image Blur
- Auto Photo Blur
- Photo Blur
- Photo Blur Master
- Super Call Screen
- Square Blur Master
- Square Blur
- Square Blur Photo
- Smart Photo Blur
- Super Call Flash
- Smart Call Flash
- Blur Photo Editor
- Blur Image
- Super Blur
- Square Image Blur
- Super Blur Photo
- Super Photo Blur
- Photo Blur Editor
- Pro Blur Photo
- Auto Photo Cut
- Smart Call Screen
- test.com.flash.call.flashcall.cool
- com.auto.photo.editor.background.eraser.tool
Click here to know the version numbers of these apps.
The Satori team discovered these 29 unique apps as part of their “CHARTREUSEBLUR” investigation. The word ‘blur’ in the moniker of the investigation is due to the fact that the majority of apps include the word “blur” in their package name, and many purports to be photo editors allowing a user to blur sections of the image.
The report added that if the app you’ve just downloaded disappeared from your phone or if the only way you can open the app is by going into your Settings menu and finding it in a long list of apps or if after you download this app, you open your phone and you begin getting bombarded by ads just appearing out of nowhere, it might be bogus. The researchers also advised user’s to read reviews and user-ratings before downloading an app. Usually, the malicious apps will have bad ratings and reviews, so that is a good indicator as well.