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Google Removes Four More Apps That Were Spreading Malware to Thousands of Phones

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Whether we like to admit it or not, the Google Play Store is not entirely safe when it comes to downloading apps. Plenty of software found there might be able to infect your phone with malware.

It happened once again, as Google has removed not one, not two or three, but four apps from its official marketplace for Android devices! The reason is simple: those apps have already infected many users with malware, according to ZDNet.

Watch out for the Joker malware!

The Joker malware is the malicious apps’ favorite toy, and there’s no wonder why. As its name suggests, the malware is too cunning to be detected.

Joker exploits the infected phones by trying to steal money. It has several simple ways of doing this. It sends SMS messages to premium-rate numbers, for instance. Joker can also make in-app purchases. Of course, the user won’t know about these actions that are able to withdraw money from his bank account.

Cybersecurity researchers from the Pradeo firm are those who discovered the 4 apps that were infected with Joker.

Those who had been using the malware apps have already received a warning to delete them from their devices ASAP.

Last year in August, the Joker virus was also around and causing Android users a lot of trouble. Google took down 8 apps from the Play Store that might have been infected with the Joker malware: Auxiliary Message, Element Scanner, Fast Magic SMS, Free CamScanner, Go Messager, Super Message, Super SMS, and Travel Wallpapers.

“Joker” is the Trojan virus that belongs to the Bread malware family. Researchers from the Quick Heal Security Lab revealed that Joker is able to get into the victim’s contacts, text messages, and even any other information existing on the infected smartphone.

Ultimately, navigating online without having your mobile device protected by a strong antivirus seems like cybersuicide nowadays.