Epic Games Fortnite for Android–APK Downloads Leads to Malware

Given Fortnite's current popularity and craziness across the globe, we understand if you have been searching the web for download links to Fortnite APK for Android phone.

However, you are not alone, thousands of people out there are also searching tutorials and links for, "

how to install Fortnite on Android

" or "

how to download Fortnite for Android

" on the Internet.

The app has taken the world by storm since its launch in the same way

Minecraft

and

Pokemon Go

took before it. The fortnite game spent the first third of 2018 breaking records with an astonishing 3.4 million players playing the game at a time in February.

However, you should keep this in mind—Fortnite for Android smartphones is not available yet and, is still under development.

In March when Epic Games released Fortnite game for iOS, the company also announced that the world's most famous battle royale game with more than 125 million players is also coming to Android this summer.

We know many of you are excited about the release, but the news did catch the attention of nefarious scammers and cybercriminals as well who are trying their best to fool smartphone users with fake and malicious apps.

Due to the massive interest of users surrounding the Fortnite game, many gaming and tutorial websites have started taking advantage of Android users' impatience with frighteningly convincing scams, which is all over Google and YouTube as well.

Just search for "

Fortnite Android App

" on YouTube and the front page will display a long list of videos on "

How to install Fortnite on Android

," claiming to include links to actual Fortnite APK files, which have been viewed millions of times.

The videos offered tutorials recommending Android users to "install a few other apps" to unlock the Fortnite game. If downloaded, the malicious apps generate revenue for their developers.

"Millions of views on YouTube for fake "How to install Fortnite on Android" videos including links to actual APK files. Don't install #Fortnite for Android, it's all fake or malicious! The official app is not released yet. They mostly generate revenue for developers," Lukas Stefanko, the malware researcher at ESET tweeted.

The apps could eventually help its creators even to compromise your Android device completely.

A quick Google search also reveals many links that purport to be official Fortnite app downloads, but they are crafted either to target Fortnite players specifically or Android users in general.

The Bottom Line:

The Fortnite Battle Royale game is currently available on Xbox One, PC, PS4 and iOS, and its official Android release has been set to "this summer."

So, people searching for 'How to install Fortnite on Android?' need to calm down and wait for the official release, and most importantly, stay away from malicious apps being offered by third-party developers.

Downloading apps from other popular sites than Google's official Play Store do not always end up with malware or viruses, but it certainly increases the risk of getting your phone fully compromised as well.

Even if you see the Fortnite Android release in the official Google Play store, I would recommend you to download it if and only if official developer Epic Games posts it.

In short, until the official release, anything you see claiming to be a Fortnite APK downloads is a scam.

from The Hacker News https://ift.tt/2JTK2mJ