In Google search, 'how to update android' is one of the top search questions as malware attacks have become so common. Users are almost every month or every week receiving warnings and asked to update the device.

Ever since security experts from Dr Web, which is a Russian anti-malware company, found in 2016 a malware dubbed as Android.Xiny.5260 inside millions of Android devices. Even after four years, security researchers believe that the malware still exists in Android devices which means they have failed to remove the traces of this threat.

The malware threat: Android.Xiny.5260

As per the researchers, the malware Android.Xiny.5260 mostly aims smartphones running Android 5.1 or earlier versions, not those which have installed a newer version of Android. It should be mentioned that the 25 percent of Android smartphones in circulation remain vulnerable which means half a billion devices are under the threat radar, according to Dr Web.

As per the experts, this malware which is a Trojan found to be hidden in apps, which are available on the Google Play Store or on third-party platforms. After a successful installation inside a victim's phone, this dangerous Trojan, Xiny remotely downloads dozens of unwanted apps in the device.

This Trojan malware remains on the device even if the user decides to delete it which is unlike in less sophisticated viruses. The APK files remain hidden in the memory of the Android phones without the victim's knowledge.

Similar to Xhelper malware, this new malware can reinstall itself even after the removal of the app from the smartphone. Xhelper works by displaying ads and facilitating downloads of other malicious apps which have affected more than 45,000 devices in just a few months.

Malware apps of the month

Along with Android.Xiny.5260, there are several malicious activities which have been detected by the security researchers in the first month of the year. This includes the detection of sLoad malware, which again returned with 2.0 version named as Starslord earlier this month. Kaspersky Labs found Faketoken, a banking Trojan which has been detected on more than 5,000 smartphones as well as another Trojan malware-laced app on the Play Store called Trojan-Dropper.AndroidOS.Shopper.a.

Here are those apps which were found to have triggered several malicious activities in millions of smartphone. If you have installed any of these, you have to remove them as soon as possible to secure your data.