Several games have made the year 2020 a little more bearable, with one of them being Innersloth's "Among Us," and because of its new-found fame and success, tons of impostors have started surfacing online.
However, experts warn that you should never download any of the fake "Among Us" versions or knockoffs as they might be malware ready to attack your privacy and security.
Due to the popularity of "Among Us," several fake versions have been released.
'Among Us' Impostors Carry Malware
In a report by TechRadar, cybercriminals have reportedly been riding the success of Innersloth's mobile game and using it to their advantage by creating fake versions that people can easily download on their devices.
But unbeknownst to them, these knockoff versions distribute malware to unsuspecting victims.
The news came as a result of new research by Promon, an app protection firm, as well as its partner, Wultra.
Based on the research, there are 60 fake apps from around nine different developers going around as the popular mobile game from Innersloth and can be downloaded from several websites and third-party app stores.
Of these 60 pretty sus "Among Us" fake apps, more than 75% of them have been repackaged to include a malicious code that turns the game into an adware.
Read More: 'Among Us' Updates: Official Store Launch, The Game Awards Nominations, Full Patch Notes
Adwares are Pretty Sus
For those who are unaware, adware is also known as advertisement-supported software, which developers use in certain apps to include advertisements and earn money, according to a definition by Kaspersky.
Adwares are actually pretty common, and it's often included in tons of safe apps, so many of these types of software are deemed safe by cybersecurity experts.
However, some adware is indeed malicious and can become invasive and can be made by cybercriminals to hijack the target's phone, slow it down, and even install spyware and other viruses like banking trojan that allows them to steal personal data from your device, including your login credentials and even banking information.
"Cybercriminals and, more specifically, malware designers are paying close attention to the rise and fall of popular gaming trends in order to decide upon their next target," said Tom Lysemose Hansen, the chief technology officer of Promon, in a press release.
According to Hansen, the most concerning thing about this is that "Among Us" is very popular among young kids, so they are generally unconcerned about cybersecurity.
Always Check What Your Kids are Installing
Typically, kids would download anything from app stores, including fake versions of apps they think are legitimate, and even mods, resource packs, and skins, all without thinking twice of the possible dangers of the sources.
The experts encouraged both the kids and the parents to pay extra attention to these kinds of attacks, which are becoming more common these days, especially when it comes to side-loading games into a device.
To guarantee your "Among Us" version is safe, it should be downloaded from official app stores, such as Google Play Store for Android and the App Store for iOS devices.
Furthermore, check the publisher and make sure it's from Innersloth LLC, the developer of the authentic "Among Us" app.
Related Article: 'Among Us' FAQ: How to Play the Game, How Much it Costs, Why it Became So Popular
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Written by: Nhx Tingson
