Every once in a while on Google Play Store Applications are found to lead to dangerous or annoying Android devices Malware And that appears to be the case with the app as well Barcode scanner.
This is not a new app, as it has been on the Google Store for a long time, to the point where it has crossed 10 million installs and The problem seems to date back to last DecemberAfter the update, in fact, the app turned from a barcode scanner to an app riddled with malware.
Another malware detected in the Google Play Store
Google Team has already removed the Barcode Scanner app from the Play Store (package name is com.qrcodescanner.barcodescanner), Whose problem appears to be due to an update in early December, in which malicious code was added that was not present in previous versions of the application. The added code also appears to have used specific procedures to avoid detection.
And if you are wondering about the behavior of this new version of the app, the answer is simple: a few minutes after installing it, it started showing invasive ads, with links to the Play Store to download other apps.
Unfortunately, removal from the Google Play Store does not mean that the app in question has been removed from all the devices on which it was installed and victims must uninstall it manually (if they find out that it is hiding malware by reading an article like this or by using a specific device analysis program).
It is not possible to know how long Barcode Scanner was in the Google Play Store as a legitimate app before it became malicious but it has likely been in the Android Store for years.
It’s also troubling to note that an update is enough to render an app malicious, all without Google Play Protect’s protection system being able to detect the problem.
