It’s very easy to download an Android app that’s otherwise not available in your region. One can easily find .apk files of Android apps online but the thing about downloading Android apps from unofficial sources is that they can often be compromised. The popular Pokemon Go game has been released in stages and people with nefarious designs have taken advantage of that fact by spreading .apks of the game which will aid hackers in stealing information and files from players’ phones.
A malicious version of the Pokemon Go app is floating online which when installed adds a backdoor to Android phones which enables attackers to gain access to the device without the user ever finding out about it.
The reason why Android doesn’t pick up on the malicious app is because users have to disable a security setting that prevents installation of unverified third-party applications just to be able to sideload an app, and many have done just that in their quest to start playing Pokemon Go before it’s made available in their region on Google Play.
One such version of the app has been combined with a remote access tool which will enable hackers to access every single file on an Android device remotely. It was uploaded online within 72 hours of the game’s release in Australia and New Zealand.
So keep in mind that downloading apps and games from legitimate app stores is the way to go and you should avoid sideloading apps from unverified sources as much as possible.
Filed in . Read more about Apps, Pokemon and Pokémon GO. Source: motherboard.vice