Given the prevalence of adware on the Google Play store, it's important to check the reviews of unfamiliar apps; these apps in particular racked up several one-star scores, with users pointing out the problems they've encountered. That said, we've even seen cases of adware being pre-installed on Android phones, though that's generally on phones not certified by Google.

Trend Micro points out that this adware should ideally only affect phones running older versions of Android. "Android 8.0 and later versions...have a function that asks for user confirmation before an application is allowed to create a shortcut," which would have alerted users to the app's otherwise hidden activity.

Google frequently states that the company takes measures to prevent adware and malware from making it onto their digital storefront, yet new reports on dozens of nefarious apps surface on a regular basis. This most recent event likely won't be the one that pushes Google toward a more secure Play store, but after so many incidents, it's hard to imagine that push won't eventually come to shove.