Newly-discovered Android malware is nearly impossible to remove - but thankfully it's very easy to avoid.
The malware masquerades as popular apps such as Candy Crush, Snapchat, Facebook and Twitter but gains root access to the device and is nearly impossible to remove.
Usually applications are not allowed to access the files created by other applications but with root access those limitations can be easily bypassed, posing privacy and security issues.
At the moment, it seems all they do is displayed unwanted ads.
"Unlike older types of adware that were obvious and obnoxious, prompting users to uninstall them, this new type of adware is silent, working in the background. These malicious apps root the device unbeknownst to the user," cybersecurity firm Lookout said in a blog post.
Many of the apps are fully-functional, making it easier to trick unsuspecting victims and avoid detection.
"To add insult to injury, victims will likely not be able to uninstall the malware, leaving them with the options of either seeking out professional help to remove it, or simply purchasing a new device."
The company says it has seen more than 20,000 samples of this 'trojanized adware' in the wild.
So, how can Android users avoid these infected apps?
Lookout said those behind the malware were injecting malicious code into apps found in the Play store and republishing them in third-party app stores.
To stay safe, Android users are recommended to only install apps from the official Google Play store.
"We work to make sure that all apps available on Google Play pass stringent policy checks, including checks for potentially harmful behavior," Google told Tech Times.
