If you thought that the days of finding vulnerabilities in Android apps listed in the Play Store have gone for, you are mistaken.
There is a Malware called ‘ the Joker’ has apps infected 24 apps that have been downloaded more than half a million times.
Google has removed the apps that had been infected by Malware.
But, the smartphones that have already installed these apps have been infected by the Joker Malware.
What is Malware and how can I eat affect your smartphone?
The Malware named The Joker is created for the sole purpose of stealing.
If you have any of the infected apps installed on your smartphone, it will sign up for subscription services without your knowledge or consent.
The Joker Malware was first detected by CSIS Security Group malware analyst Aleksejs Kuprins.
He has also posted a detailed analysis of the Joker Malware, you can read here
According to Kuprins, Malware does not stop there also Steels weekends SMS messages, contact list, device info.
Apart from that, it also stimulates automatic clicks on advertisements on specific websites and even enters authorization codes for premium subscription services.
How to find if you have been infected in how to get rid of it?
The only way to find out whether or not you have been affected is to know if you have one of these 24 apps installed on your smartphone.
It is highly recommended that you uninstall any of these apps that are installed on your phone.
Infected apps are –
- Advocate Wallpaper,
- Age Face,
- Altar Message,
- Antivirus Security – Security Scan,
- Beach Camera,
- Board picture editing,
- Certain Wallpaper,
- Climate SMS,
- Collate Face Scanner,
- Cute Camera,
- Dazzle Wallpaper,
- Declare Message,
- Display Camera,
- Great VPN,
- Humour Camera,
- Ignite Clean,
- Leaf Face Scanner,
- Mini Camera,
- Print Plant scan,
- Rapid Face Scanner,
- Reward Clean,
- Ruddy SMS,
- Soby Camera, and
- Spark Wallpaper
They have been numerous times in the past malwares and trojans were found in the apps listed on the Play Store, define Google taking extra measures to keep there app store secure.
Just a fortnight ago, an app called Apple Pie APK was also going viral, but it did not harm in any other way than embarrassing the people who installed it on their mobile phones.
The Joker Malware, on the other hand, is very dangerous.
The Malware can access your SMS messages, and additional device info, which can give them access to everything that you save on mobile, including banking details, and other personal data.
