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In September 2022, Human Security’s Satori team reported a mobile advertising-fraud campaign called Scylla. It identified 80 Android apps on Google Play and nine iOS apps on Apple’s App Store, with at least 13 million downloads combined. The apps allegedly spoofed other apps, displayed ads invisibly, and recorded legitimate ad clicks so fabricated clicks appeared more credible.
This was an advertising-fraud operation, not evidence that every listed app stole passwords or took control of phones. Human Security said it flagged the apps for removal while working with Apple and Google. The report does not establish whether any particular app is still available or harmful today.
What the Scylla incident was
Scylla was described as the third wave of an operation whose earlier waves Human Security called Poseidon and Charybdis. The campaign’s objective was to make money from fraudulent mobile advertising activity.
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| Reported detail | What the source established |
|---|---|
| Platforms | Google Play and Apple’s App Store |
| Apps identified | 80 Android apps and nine iOS apps |
| Reach | At least 13 million downloads in total, according to Human Security’s 2022 account |
| Main abuse | App spoofing, hidden ad impressions and manipulation of click activity |
| Response | Human Security said it flagged the apps for removal and coordinated with Apple and Google |
How the apps generated fraudulent advertising activity
App spoofing
The reported apps attempted to represent themselves as other applications. Spoofing can make an advertising request look as though it came from a more valuable or legitimate app, improving the fraudster’s chance of being paid.
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Hidden advertisements
The apps played or loaded advertisements in ways users could not reasonably see. Those invisible impressions could still be counted by advertising systems even though they did not provide a genuine view.
Tracking real clicks
Human Security said the operation tracked legitimate advertising clicks and used that information to make fabricated clicks look more plausible. This describes ad-measurement fraud; the cited incident account does not establish credential theft, spyware behavior or device takeover.
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Were the apps removed?
Human Security said it flagged the identified apps for removal and worked with both platform operators. That is evidence of a takedown effort, not a current app-by-app availability list. Store catalogs change, packages can be renamed, and an old listing may no longer be present. Do not treat a 2022 Scylla list as a current uninstall checklist.
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Yes. Store review reduces risk but cannot guarantee that every harmful, malicious or exploitative app is blocked before publication. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has said such apps continue to appear on both Apple and Google marketplaces, while also citing the Scylla incident.
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Apple’s review model
Apple says it reviews every App Store submission against its App Review Guidelines and publishes annual transparency reports covering the 175 countries and regions in which its store operates. Review is an important control, but the ACCC’s finding means it should not be interpreted as proof that harmful apps never reach users.
Google Play’s controls
Google says Play Protect checks apps installed from Google Play as well as apps obtained from other sources, and recommends leaving it enabled. Google reported that, during 2025, it prevented more than 1.75 million policy-violating apps from being published and banned more than 80,000 bad developer accounts for attempted harmful publication. These are Google-reported figures, not independently audited estimates in the cited material.
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Google also reported that Play Protect scanned more than 350 billion Android apps daily as of its February 2026 safety report covering 2025, and that real-time scanning identified more than 27 million new malicious apps from outside Google Play during 2025. Those figures describe Google’s detection activity; they are not a guarantee that every threat will be caught.
What this means for iPhone and Android users
Android and sideloading
Installing an APK from a website, message, file-sharing service or other source adds risk because the app did not necessarily pass Google Play’s publication process. Play Protect still checks apps from outside the store, and Google says enhanced fraud protection can block certain risky internet-sideloaded apps that request sensitive permissions.
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iPhone and iPad
The App Store’s review process is a security layer, not an absolute guarantee. Check the developer, requested permissions, recent reviews and update history before installing an unfamiliar app, and remove software you no longer trust.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to protect your phone from malicious apps
- Keep built-in protections enabled. On Android, open Google Play Store, tap your profile picture, choose Play Protect, and make sure scanning is active. Review any warning before installing or keeping an app.
- Prefer official store listings. Avoid sideloading unless you understand why it is necessary, can verify the publisher and can obtain the package from a trustworthy source.
- Inspect the listing before installing. Compare the developer name, description, download history, permissions, privacy disclosures, update dates and user reports. A large download count is not proof of safety.
- Question excessive permissions. An app that requests access unrelated to its stated function deserves extra scrutiny. Deny optional permissions and uninstall the app if its core function does not work without them.
- Keep the operating system and apps updated. Security updates can close vulnerabilities that malicious software might exploit.
- Watch for symptoms. Unexplained battery or data use, persistent pop-ups, overheating, unfamiliar notifications and browser changes can justify reviewing recently installed apps and running the platform’s security scan.
- Remove suspicious software safely. Uninstall the app, revoke its permissions, restart the phone and change important passwords from a known-clean device if you entered them while the app was installed. For persistent compromise indicators, use the phone maker’s recovery guidance or seek professional support.
What the 2022 report does—and does not—show
- It shows a large, coordinated advertising-fraud campaign reached apps distributed through two major stores.
- It shows that official-store distribution does not eliminate all risk.
- It does not provide a current list of apps that users should uninstall in 2026.
- It does not establish the campaign’s financial losses.
- It does not show that the identified apps stole credentials or seized control of users’ devices.
- It does not provide a controlled comparison proving that Apple’s store was safer or less safe than Google Play.
Bottom line for choosing and keeping apps
The Scylla case is a warning to treat store approval and download totals as risk-reduction signals, not guarantees. Keep Android’s Play Protect enabled, avoid unnecessary sideloading, examine permissions and developer information, and respond to platform warnings. The incident was reported in 2022; current safety decisions should rely on today’s listing, device alerts and platform guidance rather than an old campaign list.
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