36 million Android devices could be infected with 'Judy' malware

The malware was included in some apps available through the official Google Play Store, with Checkpoint saying between 8.5 and 36.5 million users could have been affected.

That means the malicious software could be the most wide-spread malware yet to hit the official Android app store.

At this time, the actual number of infected users remains unconfirmed, but Checkpoint warns the malware was present in some apps that had been available on the Play Store for "several years".

As the firm explains, the malware "is an auto-clicking adware which was found on 41 apps developed by a Korean company."

Checkpoint says 'Judy' generates fraudulent clicks on ads, which results in revenue for the perpetrators, who created a "benign bridgehead app", which inserts a connection to the users' phone into the app store.