Even though Flappy Bird creator Dong Nguyen is mulling over re-releasing the hit game, that hasn’t stopped clones from showing up on both the iOS and Google Play app stores. Unfortunately, it looks like a majority of these clones contain some form of malware.
Security firm McAfee discovered 270 malware-infected Flappy Bird clones, which, according to the firm, account for 80 percent of all available Flappy Bird clones. Seeing how many clones are available across iOS, Android, and Windows Phone, this is likely a small sampling.
While McAfee said most of the infected apps were made for Android, the firm didn’t specify whether they were found in the Google Play store or in third-party app stores.
While McAfee is in the business of antivirus software, meaning it in its best interest to alert users about these malware-infected apps (and to find them). Malware is still something that shouldn’t be taken lightly. While the most common use of malware is to make premium calls without permission, other occurrences include sending text messages in order to collect money or giving away your location for use in scams involving credit card information.
As usual, be wary about where you download your apps and what permissions they ask for before installation. And please, don’t download Flappy Bird or its clones.
