Google bans 6 malware-infected apps from the Play Store, uninstall them right now

 

After pulling off around 11 apps from the Play Store in July this year, Google Play has taken 6 more off the Play Store for containing the Joker malware. These apps accounted for nearly 200,000 downloads.

Google had identified Bread (also known as Joker) which is a large-scale billing fraud family in 2017 that identifies apps that are designed solely for SMS fraud. (Pixabay)

The notorious Joker malware has turned up on the Google Play Store again just after the platform banned 11 apps in July this year for being infected with the malware. Cybersecurity firm Pradeo has now identified six new apps that have the Joker malware and are on the Play Store, Zee News reported. The firm said that these infected applications have nearly 200,000 downloads

Pradeo explained in a blog post that Joker is a malicious bot that has been categorised as fleeceware. The main task of this type of malware is to simulate clicks and intercept SMS’ to subscribe to unwanted paid premium services without the users learning about it. Joker uses as little code as possible and thoroughly hides it to generate a very discreet footprint that is tricky to detect.

The six apps that have been infected with Joker malware and have turned malicious include Safety AppLock, Convenient Scanner 2, Push Message- Texting & SMS, Emoji Wallpaper, Separate Doc Scanner and Fingertip GameBox.

All these apps have been removed from the Play Store already and if you have them on your smartphone you should uninstall them right away, Pradeo suggested.

Google had identified Bread (also known as Joker) which is a large-scale billing fraud family in 2017 that identifies apps that are designed solely for SMS fraud.