Android is a victim of constant attacks and theft attempts, and one of its main vulnerabilities is apps , which can end up being installed with malware that spreads and leads to more security problems and threats. The list of problem apps has grown considerably and that is why we have information about a new batch of threats that have been removed from the Play Store and that you should remove from your phone if you have installed them for some reason.
Sometimes we end up installing apps from the app store on our device without checking them too much because we think they are safe when they don’t have to be.
What is Joker and why should we fear him?
One of the biggest Android threats is Joker , a malware that spreads rapidly in the ecosystem causing various problems such as the subscription of value-added services, and that can give you a big scare if you don’t notice it in time, or theft of banking access credentials with which they could also keep your money.
Every so often new malicious applications with Joker are discovered and in this case it was recently when these new apps were identified, totaling more than 100,000 affected users between them. Joker is characterized as Fleeceware as it subscribes its users to unwanted payment services or SMS sending , makes premium calls and more by hiding it completely.
To bypass two-factor authentication protocols, they intercept one-time passwords by reading SMS messages and taking silent screenshots, and then intercepting the content of notifications. If you are a victim, you will only be able to see the fraud on your bill or if you check your consumption, probably when it is high because a few weeks have passed. The apps are also programmed to install others that work as droppers to transmit more dangerous malware.
4 new apps with Joker identified
The applications that we comment on below have been removed for having this malware and being active in the Play Store. They have a large number of installations and were collecting data and information from users and their smartphones. Specifically, Smart SMS Messages had more than 50,000 installations and the others had more than 10,000 installations each.
- Smart SMS Messages
- Blood PressureMonitor
- Voice Languages Translator
- Quick Text SMS
More apps you should remove immediately
Other security researchers have managed to expose more applications that have also been identified as malicious and have already been removed from the Pla Store. However, it is possible that you have some on your phone, so if so, we recommend that you uninstall them as soon as possible. Other applications that could bring you problems are:
- Painting Photo Editor
- Smile Bubble Message
- Theme Emoji Keyboard
- Fun Smart Message
- Fun Text Message
- Cute Emoji SMS
- Quick Talk Message
- Custom Picture Caller Show
- TalkSMS
- Text Launcher SMS
- Shadow Galaxy Wallpaper
- Face Emoji Maker
- Simple Keyboard
Caution is necessary
Although the application store of your operating system is characterized by being safe, some malicious applications can sneak in that take control of your data or cause you problems with use, so it is important that you take into account the opinions of other users if you are going to install them, that you check that it is trustworthy or even that you have a good mobile security system.
One of the things that might make you suspicious is that their developers only have one app in the store , they have brief privacy policies, they are located on a Google Docs or Google Site page, and they don’t reveal the full scope of their activities. your applications. They are never related to the name of a company or website. Even so, it is not necessary to trust everything in this criterion, since it is possible that they will soon evolve perfecting the technique.
Threats are increasingly present on mobile phones and we must pay attention to them. As we can see, also in the apps that we install from the Play Store.