Darknet Being Used To Sell Malicious Google Play Apps For Up To $20,000: Experts

Cybercrime experts have discovered malicious mobile apps and store developer accounts which are being sold at up to USD 20,000 on the Darknet.

The report from the experts revealed that there are various Darknet offers for different needs and customers with different budgets.

To publish a malicious app, cybercriminals need a Google Play account and a malicious downloader code (Google Play Loader). A developer account can be bought cheaply, for USD 200 and sometimes even for as little as USD 60, the report said.

The cost of malicious loaders ranges between USD 2,000 and USD 20,000, depending on the complexity of malware, the novelty and prevalence of malicious code, as well as the additional functions.

Kaspersky researchers used Kaspersky Digital Footprint Intelligence and collected examples from nine different Darknet forums where the purchase and sale of goods and services related to malware is carried out.

“Cybercriminals gather on the Darknet – a whole underground digital world with its own rules, market prices, and reputational institutions – to buy and sell Google Play malicious apps, and additional functions to upgrade and even advertise their creations,” the report mentioned.

The report noted that the often malware being distributed is suggested to be hidden under cryptocurrency trackers, financial apps, QR-code scanners and even dating apps. Cybercriminals also highlight how many downloads the legitimate version of that app has, which means how many potential victims can be infected by updating the app and adding malicious code to it. Most frequently the suggestions specify 5,000 downloads or more.

For an additional fee, cybercriminals can obfuscate the application code to make it harder to detect by cybersecurity solutions. To increase the number of downloads to a malicious app, many attackers also offer to purchase installs - directing traffic through Google ads and attracting more users to download the app. Installs cost differently for each country. The average price is USD 0.50, with offers ranging from USD 0.10 to several dollars. In one of the discovered offers, advertisements for users from USA and Australia cost the most – USD 0.80.