#Barcode scanner app apk#
#Barcode scanner app install#

The possibility of a barcode scanner app carrying Android malware is the same as any other popular app on the Google Play Store. So the Problem Was the App, Not the Barcode? Other signs for malware on your Android device include: But that likely wasn’t the case with the Barcode Scanner malware as users started noticing strange behavior on their phones minutes after installing the update.

#Barcode scanner app install#

In some cases, in-app malware can lay dormant, waiting for millions of users to install and trust the app before striking. But they didn’t remove the app from the affected users’ devices, leaving anyone who didn’t get the news of the malware to fend for themselves. Google took quick action and removed the app from the Google Play store to prevent more unsuspecting victims from installing the malicious barcode scanner. These ads could push fake app and browser updates, and offer free services or invite you to download an app-usually branded as antivirus or antimalware.ĭepending on the malicious party’s intent, falling for one of those ads could result in your data being stolen, encrypted and held for ransom, or deleted altogether. The popular barcode scanner app, conveniently called Barcode Scanner, infected 10 million Android users after downloading a malicious update.īarcode Scanner started displaying ads that would open the user’s default browser even if they didn’t interact with them. In early 2021, one of the most prominent cases of a barcode scanner app containing malware occurred. That doesn’t only apply to barcode scanner apps. You shouldn’t install unofficial apps unless you’re certain the source is trustworthy.īut every now and then, an app on the Google Play Store makes headlines for housing malware or spyware behind Google’s back and infecting millions of users.

#Barcode scanner app apk#

The most basic advice to keeping your Android device safe is to avoid installing unofficial apps and APK from third-party websites and stick to apps officially on the Google Play Store. But if your phone doesn’t have that, you may have to install a third-party app from the Google Play Store or AppStore. In the case of iPhones, anything running iOS 11 and above comes with a built-in barcode scanner.

Nowadays, most smartphones have built-in QR and barcode readers-all you have to do is take a clear picture of the code. You need a specialized scanner that can translate the pixelated information. But unlike shortened and full-length links, barcodes are impossible to read with the naked eye.