Symantec Mobile Insight employs the detection name AdLibrary:MoPub to identify potential threats that share similar characteristics and behaviors.
Android files and applications that share similar characteristics and patterns are frequently classified using threat detection names.
You may have seen the AdLibrary:MoPub detection while scanning your device with the aforementioned app.
However, you should not be concerned because the mentioned threat name is a common false positive that can occur during file scans.
It has been discovered in a variety of files, including those that are typically regarded as harmless.
Antivirus threat detection in general
Antivirus software relies on vast databases that contain signatures and patterns for different types of harmful software, including viruses, malware, ransomware, trojans, adware, and other potentially dangerous programs that are frequently encountered.
Antivirus software often makes use of these datasets. To successfully identify and remove malware from a computer. If an antivirus program detects a file or application on a user's device that matches a signature in its database, it will take action to remove the harmful file.
Similarly, an antivirus tool can safeguard a system by constantly monitoring it for potential threats using its vast database of threat signatures. The engine compares the uploaded file to all the known malware patterns in their databases.
However, there are cases where a particular pattern or signature is so common that an antivirus program might incorrectly flag a file as malware, even if it is not.
Behavior of the threat
AdLibrary:MoPub is a commonly used term to identify files that may carry harmful malware or actually contain malware.
However, the antivirus engine's pattern or characteristics can occasionally result in false positives, which flag legitimate files as malware despite being clean by other antivirus engines.
This is a common problem that occurs with downloaded files, particularly modded APKs obtained from untrustworthy sources.
These modified applications have been designed to obtain cheats and boosts for the game in an easy manner. As a result, antivirus engines have the ability to detect these changes and classify them as malicious software.
Furthermore, many users have reported that the antivirus app successfully detected popular apps such as Google Play Store, Wear OS, and Google Play Services.
In this case, it's worth noting that these apps are very much unlikely to contain malware, so it's a false positive.
More about AdLibrary:MoPub malware
This threat is not necessarily malicious. Instead, it frequently generates false alarms and flags specific files and apps on the device as potential threats.
If you want to make sure the detection is not a false positive, try scanning your device with another scanner, such as Malwarebytes. It's a popular anti-malware program with a mobile version to help protect your device.