Google Removes CamScanner Malware-Ridden App from Play Store

CamScanner, the application that was recently found as a front for distributing malware on smart devices, has been removed by Google from the Play Store. A recent vulnerability report by security researchers from Kaspersky Lab revealed that the CamScanner has been carrying malware. Notably, CamScanner is a popular photo-scanning app that allows users to create PDF, and also has OCR (optical character recognition) capabilities.

According to the report, the app has been found to contain a malware identified as ‘Trojan-Dropper.AndroidOS.Necro.n’. Previously this particular malware has been spotted in some of the apps that came pre-installed on select Chinese smartphones. The malware is only found on the Android version of CamScanner app, and iOS remains unaffected. The researchers also say that the app has different names like Phone PDF Creator and CamScanner-Scanner.

The removal of the app from the Play Store highlights the tech giant's inability to keep malware affected apps away from Android users. While Google Play Store is usually considered to be the safest way of downloading applications, the new developments prove otherwise. According to a statement released by researchers, they said the problem is that even powerful companies like Google cannot minutely check millions of apps, and since most apps are updated regularly, the Google Play moderators' job is an unending one.