A malicious game is impersonating Pokemon Go

After the insane popularity of gaming app Pokemon Go, a malicious gaming app called Pokemon Go Ultimate has made its way into the Google Play store, which completely freezes the screen forcing users to restart the phone by removing the battery.

The app when downloaded and run is not installed as Pokemon Go but as “PI Network”. After rebooting, the PI Network app seemed to disappear, but infact continues to run in the background and generating fake ad clicks.

The Pokemon Go gaming app uses the Global Positioning System (GPS) capabilities of the device in conjunction with Google Maps to place virtual creatures in real world locations, which one then tries to find using the device as a guide. Once in proximity to the placed creature, one then needs to use device’s camera to view the creature and try to capture it.

Software security company ESET also spotted several other malicious apps, including Install Pokemongo and Guide & Cheats for Pokemon Go. The plague of malicious tricks surrounding the augmented-reality game highlights the security risk posed by Android’s relatively open app ecosystem.

Though the specific apps highlighted by ESET seem to have been removed from Google Play Store, a search found several apps named with variations on Install Pokemon Go.

The original Pokemon Go is available on Google Playstore and Apple’s App Store in the US, Japan and Australia, Philippines, New Zealand, Britain and Germany and is coming soon to India, Singapore, Taiwan and Indonesia.