Careful! Squid Game App Contains Malware Roaming In Play Store

JAKARTA - The enthusiasm for the Squid Game series is still peaking and has not subsided. It turns out that this moment was also used by cyber criminals to trick fans of the drama.

Cybercriminals have reportedly managed to get malware disguised as the Squid Game mobile wallpaper app on the Google Play Store. The app was discovered by Android security researcher @ReBensk on Twitter.

The malicious app, Squid Game Wallpaper 4K HD, was downloaded at least 5,000 times before it was discovered by Google and then the company blocked it on the Play Store. The app claims to be dedicated to fans of the Squid Game TV series.

Later, @ReBensk warned the public against downloading apps related to the Squid Game series. According to him, there are still many dangerous Android applications related to Squid Game hanging around.

Citing the Times of India, Saturday, October 23, the @ReBensk alert was further analyzed by ESET Android security researcher Lukas Stefanko. Stefanko calls this application the Android Joker themed Squid Game. For those unaware, Joker is one of the most persistent Android malware. It was first discovered in 2017.

Stefanko also found that there were 200 applications related to Squid Game circulating in the Play Store application store. In addition, there is currently no official serial application.

The euphoria is a loophole for hackers to earn money through ads within the Squid Game app. Stefanko emphasized that malware creators often ride the popularity of a viral phenomenon to spread malware and steal data.

"It seems like a great opportunity to monetize in-app advertising of one of the most popular TV shows without an official game. Running this app on a device can result in malicious ad fraud and/or unwanted SMS subscription actions," Stefanko said.