Researchers have found eight cryptojacking apps on Microsoft Store that mines Monero cryptocurrency hidden in the background without the user’s knowledge.
The Symantec researchers then reported these apps to Microsoft and they were subsequently removed from the store, however, the apps that have already been installed on the PCs remain till they are manually uninstalled by the user.
These apps were disguised with several functions, e.g. it ranged from battery optimisation tutorials, a VPN browser, YouTube viewer, to search application.
Cryptojacking apps
According to Symantec’s research, all of these apps were likely publisedh by the same developer.
The apps in question are
- Fast-search Lite
- Battery Optimizer (Tutorials)
- VPN Browser+
- Downloader for YouTube Videos
- Clean Master+ (Tutorials)
- FastTube
- Findoo Browser 2019
- Findoo Mobile & Desktop Search
Some of these apps were listed in Microsoft Store’s top free apps list and was indexed to searched with a
The apps once downloaded and launched, would fetch the Monero-mining script from its servers and then would use the majority of the resources to mine the cryptocurrency.
