According to the latest reports from Symantec, the largest maker of security software for computers and best known for its Norton brand, nearly five million Android users will be targeted by a new malware attack and more could still follow.

As per the latest reports from Symantec, as many as 13 apps from three developers, many of which are currently found in the Android Market, are carrying infected lumps of code known as Android.Counterclank, which are suspected of running on some five million smartphones. These codes are stealing the user's information and running advertisements against the owner's will.

For each of these malicious applications, the malicious code has been grafted on to the main application in a package called 'apperhand'. When the package is executed, a service with the same name may be seen running on a compromised device. Another sign of an infection is the presence of the Search icon above on the home screen, said the Symantec official blog.

The apps carrying these codes come in the form of popular downloadable games which the user downloads and installs on his device. According to an interview given by Symantec to Computer World, the company quoted one of the users of an infected app who complained that every time he runs the game, a search icon gets added randomly to one of his screens. Although he deleted the icon a number of times, it just kept reappearing. Tapping the icon opens a page that looks like the Google search page.

Here are the games that you must avoid:

List of infected games

(Information from iTechNow)

Android Android Infection Android