Remove this Android app that gave you malware instead of Netflix

In what is a recurring one ritually, Google has removed a scammy Android malware app from the Google Play Store. This time is the offending culprit FlixOnline, a malware app that gets people in by pretending to give them free access to Netflix. His banishment from the Play Store is great, but it is up to you to remove it from your device if your goods tried to download it anytime.

Although most of the Lifehacker readers were probably smart enough to avoid the app’s promise – two months of free Netflix for nothing! – I see that this pitch works completely for many people who, stricken with pandemic carelessness, were just looking something else to do during quarantineWell, spoiler: There is no easy way Netflix for free not even from Netflix itself

If you installed the FlixOnline app hoping to be able to stream The Queen’s Gambit free, you’re mistaken. Instead, by the app ‘Overlay’, ‘Ignore battery optimization’ and ‘Notification’ permissions, you gave everything it took to display fake login overlays for legitimate apps, make it work forever and access (or comment on) all your notifications. And having WhatsApp installed will make the situation worse Check Point Research describes:

“Check Point Research (CPR) recently discovered malware on Google Play, hidden in a fake application that can spread itself through users’ WhatsApp messages. If the user has downloaded the fake application and the malware has unknowingly granted the correct permissions, the malware can automatically respond to the victim’s incoming WhatsApp messages with a payload received from a command-and-control server (C&C ). This unique method could have enabled actors to proliferate phishing attacks, spread false information or steal login credentials and data from users’ WhatsApp accounts, and more. “

YOU probably remember if you installed the FlixOnline app or not – you probably would have done it for the past few monthsIf you did, and you‘and run it, it may not show up in your app drawer due to the ability to hide its own icon. Instead, vit is your device’s equivalent of Settings> Apps & notifications> App info to remove it (from your Android specific path may differ

You want it too passwords for all apps and services you use on your device, just in case. That’s especially true if you have had to log in log in (or log in again in) to all your apps or services over time since you installed FlixOnline. Finally, use this as a learning opportunity and focus on it improve your security habits moving forward. If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is; if you’re not sure, quickly searching the web is usually all you need to do find out if an app is legit or incredibly suspicious.