Android is the world's top mobile operating system ahead of iOS. However, that brings its share of problems and one of those problems are the constant rise of dangerous malware infecting millions of devices.

The latest information claims there are three new malware that are causing havoc for Android users. The names are Shedun, Shuanet, and ShiftyBug, and they are designed to make sure users can never get rid of them.

Security research firm Lookout states that these pieces of malware are, in fact, adware, and so far they have infected over 20,000 apps, many of which are very popular among the Android community. Even top apps such as Facebook and Twitter may fall prey to such malware should the user's device be infected.

Once they have taken over the handset, nothing can be done. Even if the user decides to completely factory reset the smartphone, the malware will eventually return as they were designed to root an infected device and install themselves as a system application.

When a user comes across such an issue, the only option at the time of writing is to purchase another smartphone.

"For individuals, getting infected with Shedun, Shuanet and ShiftyBug might mean a trip to the store to buy a new phone," warns Lookout researcher Michael Bentley.

These issues could force some Android users to switch to an iPhone or even a Windows 10 Mobile handset in the future if Google is incapable of releasing a fix.

We understand it is possible that Shedun, Shuanet and ShiftyBug all came from a third-party app store, which is the main reason why Google may have no power to put an end to the problem.

As it stands right now, if Android users want to save themselves from having to purchase another device, they must download apps from the Google Play Store and only the Google Play Store until third-party stores have found a way to prevent malware from infecting devices.

Photo: Dennis Skley | Flickr

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