What are the Risks of pirated android apps?

[TheLetterD]

Hello
My friends keep pirating apps on their android phones. I tried to tell them that its not safe they asked me how would it be a problem if they have avast antivirus installed?
I had no answer, so I wanted to ask, (I am NOT going to pirate apps) just out of curiosity are apps from torrent websites or other markets safe to use? Can they cause problems, be malware/spyware or any other virus in disguise?

[sam]

avast can't detect all malwares. Even Play market had apps with malware integrated into them. Only much later (after those were downloaded 1000s of times) where the malwares detected and the publishers banned.

Also other than games from EA and gameloft, most are ad supported i.e. you get full game + ad. turn data off and ads won't appear.

[theserpent]

Actually even the apps on play store can have virus Just like Sam said.

[v.Na5h]

torrents/shady sites - yes/maybe risky
official andriod scene release (cant name it) - no

Actually even the apps on play store can have virus Just like Sam said.

yeah esp the youtube downloader
which gets uploaded almost every week

[red dragon]

torrents/shady sites - yes/maybe risky
official andriod scene release (cant name it) - no



yeah esp the youtube downloader
which gets uploaded almost every week

1.Play store itself is shady.
2.If you are talking about tube mate/best tube..they are not exactly malware.Uncle Google does not want you tube videos to be downloaded.
Google can be as evil as Apple!

[ithehappy]

I don't exactly get your point but if you are saying about an app from a Top developer or a trusted one, then there is NO difference between a pirated app and the legit one from Play Store.
Stop piracy at the end of the day...Jeez! Who is saying that!