Remove these 13 apps from Android instantly

The McAfee Mobile research team discovered 25 apps that contained the Xamalicious malware.

Some of these apps were installed directly from the Google Play Store, and Google removed them before McAfee even publicly disclosed their names. Most apps infected by Xamalicious are in the categories: games, health, horoscope and productivity.

Although Google removed the Xamalicious-infected apps from the Play Store, McAfee reports that most of them are still available in third-party Stores.

Apps infected with the Xamalicious malware use “social engineering” to gain access privileges that allow a user's device to communicate with a command and control server without the owner's knowledge. At that point, a second piece of malware is downloaded that "will take full control of the device and potentially run malicious actions such as clicking ads, installing financially motivated apps without the user's consent."

Although the infected apps are no longer available on the Play Store, you should remove them from your devices immediately.

The 13 applications are:

Package Name	App Name	installs
com.anomenforyou.essentialhoroscope	Essential Horoscope for Android	100,000
com.littleray.skineditorforpeminecraft	3D Skin Editor for PE Minecraft	100,000
com.vyblystudio.dotslinkpuzzles	Logo Maker Pro	100,000
com.autoclickrepeater.free	Auto Click Repeater	10,000
com.lakhinstudio.counteasycaloriecalculator	Count Easy Calorie Calculator	10,000
com.muranogames.easyworkoutsathome	Sound Volume Extender	5,000
com.regaliusgames.llinkgame	LetterLink	1,000
com.Ushak.NPHOROSCOPENUMBER	NUMEROLOGY: PERSONAL HOROSCOPE & NUMBER PREDICTIONS	1,000
com.browgames.stepkeepereasymeter	Step Keeper: Easy Pedometer	500
com.shvetsStudio.trackYourSleep	Track Your Sleep	500
com.devapps.soundvolumebooster	Sound Volume Booster	100
com.Osinko.HoroscopeTaro	Astrological Navigator: Daily Horoscope & Tarot	100
com.Potap64.universalcalculator	Universal Calculator	100