SlopAds Scandal: Android Ad Fraud Exposed with 2.3 Billion Fake Clicks Daily!
SlopAds, a massive Android ad fraud operation, was busted after 224 apps on Google Play generated 2.3 billion ad requests daily. Researchers liken SlopAds apps to ‘AI slop,’ fooling users in 228 countries. These apps, downloaded over 38 million times, employed steganography to cloak their mischief. Google has since removed them.
Hot Take:
Someone call the digital exterminator! It seems like our little green robot friend, Android, has been infested with “SlopAds”—a malware family so sneaky, it could sell ice to a polar bear and then charge them for the privilege! With 2.3 billion ad requests a day, this operation had more clicks than a tap dance competition. But fear not, the cyber-swat team at HUMAN has squashed the bug, though we might want to keep an eye peeled for its next reincarnation. After all, you know what they say about malware—give it an inch, and it’ll take a gigabyte!
Key Points:
- An ad fraud operation called “SlopAds” exploited 224 apps on Google Play, generating 2.3 billion ad requests daily.
- The apps were downloaded over 38 million times across 228 countries, with the U.S., India, and Brazil being the top targets.
- SlopAds used advanced evasion tactics like obfuscation, steganography, and hidden WebViews to conduct fraud.
- Google has removed the SlopAds apps and updated Google Play Protect to warn users.
- Despite the takedown, the sophistication of the scheme suggests future attempts from the perpetrators.