Find out now how much it costs to launch a virus on the Android Play Store

Nowadays, criminals are on the lookout for new ways to attack the most inattentive users. An example of this is virus for cell phones, which can destroy your device or even steal important data.

As a result, some apps manage to get past the Play Store and end up in the app store, ready to be installed and thus achieve the scammers’ goal. However, this type of thing is paid, did you know? And the question that remains is: how do these apps end up in the Play Store?

This happens because these criminals actually pay to have their apps added to the store. And do you know how much this costs? We’ll explain it to you right now.

How much does it cost to put viruses on the Play Store?

According to information from Kaspersky, a cybersecurity company, with around US$20,000 (R$100,000), the cybercriminal can insert a virus into the Play Store. And this amount can vary, costing more or less, depending on what the criminal can haggle for on the Dark Web.

Furthermore, to upload the infected app to the Play Store, you need to have a developer account. This is included in the amount charged to perform the procedure. To acquire such an account, the criminal can end up paying between US$60 and US$200 (around R$300 and R$1,000).

In total, it can cost more than US$20,000 to pull off this type of scam. However, considering that the scheme is contained in an update so that the Play Store doesn’t get suspicious and depending on how many victims are made, the amount is quickly recovered.

Therefore, it is very important that you keep an eye on all the apps you download and use on your phone. This is because, with the correct permissions, the criminal can obtain important information and access that you think is private but, because of the app, they can access it.

Avoid downloading suspicious or unofficial apps. This way, you can avoid the headache and the inconvenience that this type of action causes.