Beware! Malware Found in CamScanner Android App, Delete it Now

This popular PDF creator app has been installed on more than 100 million Android devices across the globe.

The malicious app is used to create PDF docs out of physical cards.

(Photo: The Quint)

Many of us have used the popular CamScanner app on Android to make digital copies of visiting cards or even some physical documents on the go. Till date, we haven’t come across major issues with the app, which is probably why, most people recommend CamScanner to others as well.

But on Wednesday, security researchers at Kaspersky have found a concerning thing about the app, which is claimed to be running on over 100 million devices.

Basically, the experts have discovered a malware, rooted through the app, which is capable of stealing confidential data from your device, which is never ideal in this day and age.

Google, which claims to detect such malware issues in apps on the Play Store and remove them, didn’t observe this issue with CamScanner, but now it has removed the app from its store and it’s better if you remove from the phone as well.

This malware, according to Kaspersky, wasn’t found in the coding of the app. Instead, it was part of advertising library feature, which was recently added to the third-party PDF creator app.

The worrying part about the malware is within the app is it could allow attackers to install malicious program on users' Android devices without informing or letting them know.

For example, an app with this malicious code may show intrusive ads and sign users up for paid subscriptions. 

<a href="https://www.kaspersky.com/blog/camscanner-malicious-android-app/28156/">Kaspersky blog post on malware</a>

When users allow payment-centric permissions to apps with malware, hackers can easily get access to bank details, which allows them to steal money from your account. It is of grave concern that a popular app like CamScanner has come under the spotlight for the wrong reasons. Having said that, this isn’t the first app to rogue, and won’t be the last.

Mobile users need to be careful of what apps they download, and keeping an eye on the health of these apps is paramount for the safety of their digital accounts on these devices.