Remove that Flashlight App on Your Mobile Phone
When it’s too dark to find your keys or you’ve dropped something into the dark recesses of your desk, it’s a good thing you have the flashlight app on your smartphone to light the way. Your found it on your favorite app store and it cost you nothing. You use it constantly whenever you need a bit of brightness.
But that app may be more than it appears to be. According to cybersecurity expert Gary Millefskynt, “The top 10 flashlight apps are all malware.” They’re designed to steal information on your phones, such as your name, address, photos, contact list, financial accounts, and current location, and send it to hackers in three primary countries: China, India, and Russia.
These apps have been downloaded over half a billion times.
The only way to avoid any problems is not to download the flashlight apps in the first place. Simply uninstalling them is not enough to get rid of the spying. Many also install trojan software that operates in the background to continue to steal information. You have no idea that they’re there.
To be rid of the problem, first back up all information you want to save, such as your contacts list and photos. Then take your phone back to where you bought it and ask for a factory reset. This removes everything from your phone that wasn’t there when you bought it, including the hidden trojans.
Avoid downloading anything onto your phone unless you’re sure it’s perfectly safe.
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