Which attack involves attackers creating apps that mimic popular ones to trick users into downloading?

Which attack involves attackers creating apps that mimic popular ones to trick users into downloading?

• A. Wardriving
• B. Malicious Insider
• C. Publishing Malicious Apps
• D. Repackaging Legitimate Apps

Answer: (C)

Publishing malicious apps is about attackers creating new apps that imitate popular ones and distributing them so users download them, trusting the familiar icon, name, or vibe. This leverages the app ecosystem’s trust signals—people tend to install apps that look like well-known titles, sometimes even copying developer names or branding. Once downloaded, these apps can steal data, show stealthy ads, or deliver malware, all under the guise of a legitimate, familiar app. Wardriving involves searching for wireless networks, not app deception. A malicious insider is someone inside an organization causing harm, not distributing look‑alike apps. Repackaging legitimate apps means altering a genuine app to add malicious features after obtaining it, which can deceive users, but the scenario described—creating and publishing an app that mimics popular ones to trick users into downloading—best fits publishing malicious apps.

Publishing malicious apps is about attackers creating new apps that imitate popular ones and distributing them so users download them, trusting the familiar icon, name, or vibe. This leverages the app ecosystem’s trust signals—people tend to install apps that look like well-known titles, sometimes even copying developer names or branding. Once downloaded, these apps can steal data, show stealthy ads, or deliver malware, all under the guise of a legitimate, familiar app.

Wardriving involves searching for wireless networks, not app deception. A malicious insider is someone inside an organization causing harm, not distributing look‑alike apps. Repackaging legitimate apps means altering a genuine app to add malicious features after obtaining it, which can deceive users, but the scenario described—creating and publishing an app that mimics popular ones to trick users into downloading—best fits publishing malicious apps.