With so many applications found on the Google Play Store, it shouldn’t be surprising that Android devices can get infected with potentially unwanted programs, or PUPs, like adware apps. These are not only annoying but they can also steal private information such as credit card details.

Zscaler recently reported that 17 adware apps in Google Play were downloaded over 120,000 times. These apps display unwanted advertisements on your device and collect marketing-type data about you, generating revenue for their operators in the process.

The Android operating system (OS) relies on an open-source code that allows users and manufacturers to modify their phones’ or tablets’ OSs. The problem is, Android’s open-sourced nature also makes it susceptible to cyberthreats. Recently, security experts found DEFENSOR ID — a new type of Android malware exploiting the system's Accessibility Services.