Overview

• Google removed the identified apps from Play Store, and Play Protect is warning affected users to uninstall them because existing installs can still generate fraudulent traffic until deleted.
• HUMAN’s Satori team uncovered the SlopAds cluster spanning 224 apps with more than 38 million downloads across 228 countries and territories.
• The apps pulled hidden instructions from images and opened concealed WebViews to operator-controlled sites that faked ad impressions and clicks.
• At its peak, the operation drove about 2.3 billion ad bid requests per day, with the United States most affected, followed by India and Brazil.
• Many titles appeared legitimate on Google Play, which delayed discovery, and the individuals behind the scheme have not been identified.