XHelper is a malware for Android that has been around for a while. THE company Malwarebytes security detected it for the first time in May 2019.
Since then, almost all Android security apps can detect xHelper, which means that Android devices using a trusted software security systems should be protected from this malware.
But as it turns out, cleaning a device is much harder than we thought, as xHelper comes back even after a full system reset.
How is that possible; According to Malwarebytes, xHelper does not use any pre-installed malware in the firmware, but the Google Play, which still “serves” it malware after a complete reset of a device or after a successful cleanup with an antivirus program.
“Google Play is not infected with malware. However, something in Google PLAY is causing re-infections – maybe something left on storage. Additionally, doing so could use Google Play as a smokescreen, misrepresenting it as a source installationof malware, when it actually comes from another site," Malwarebytes says in a new analysis of malware.
The security company describes in detail a case of infection with xHelper. After a closer look at the files stored on the infected Android device, it was discovered that a Trojan dropper was embedded in an APK located in a directory called com.mufc.umbtts.
Researchers still do not know how Google Play is used to cause the infection.
“Trojan.Dropper.xHelper.VRW does not appear to be installed anywhere on the device. We believe it was installed, run and uninstalled again within seconds to avoid crawling - all from something triggered by Google Play. "The 'how' is still unknown," say Malwarebytes researchers.
To clean the infection, you should first disable the Google Play Store and then run a device scan with one antivirus. Otherwise, the malware will return, despite its deletion.