Think your Android phone is safe from malicious apps? Think again, bucko. Hackers have devised yet another method to sneak malware-infested software onto the Google Play Store, according to a Kaspersky report. Malware-infected apps are camouflaged within real apps, sold for $2K to $20K on the dark web. Masquerading as legitimate software, these “dropper apps” quietly slip through the Play Store’s review process. What apps are affected? In his report, Kaspersky reveals that popular categories riddled with malware threats are financial apps, cryptocurrency trackers, QR-code scanners, dating apps, and naturally, crypto trackers. After getting the all-clear, these sneaky apps receive nasty updates straight from hacker-controlled servers. Image: KnowTechie But get this – they only morph into their evil forms after gaining a boatload of users, maximizing the mayhem they can unleash on clueless Android users. This is some next-level Malware Therefore, the real danger lies in the extra permissions granted to these apps, allowing hackers to carry out their schemes right under our noses. Worse yet, these apps detect if they’re being analyzed or sandboxed and halt their activities, foiling security researchers’ attempts at investigation. However, loader programs aren’t the sole method for slipping malware past Google Play defenses. Kaspersky draws attention to hackers infiltrating the system with fake developer accounts or snatching authentic accounts with weak passwords or no two-factor authentication. To make matters even more sinister, they exploit APK binding services, embedding malicious Android installation files within real apps and distributing them through phishing sites or texts. With…Android users, malware riddled apps are flooding the Play Store