A day goes by and discovers many apps that have found their way to the Google Play app store and have been downloaded hundreds of thousands of times, but in their code they carry malware that harms users.

This time, the malware, which has been detected in about 24 applications, is called Joker, according to Alexis Kobrins, a security researcher at CSIS.

The software is specifically designed to secretly enroll users for paid subscription services, something they may not notice they have done unless they are following their monthly credit card statement.

“For example, in Denmark, a joker can secretly register a victim for 50 DKK per week (about € 6.71),” says Kobrens. And then wait for the SMS message with the confirmation code and extract that code using regular expressions. Finally, the Joker provides the extracted code for the offer web page for the premium subscription license. ”

Although Google removed these malicious applications from its PlayStore store, it managed to achieve more than 472 thousand downloads before it was discovered.

If you have any of these apps installed on your Android phone or tablet - or worse, you're already using them - it's time to delete them as quickly as possible.

These applications are:

  • Advocate Wallpaper

  • Age Face

  • Altar Message

  • Antivirus Security - Security Scan

  • Beach Camera

  • Board picture editing

  • Certain Wallpaper

  • climate SMS

  • Collate Face Scanner

  • Cure Camera

  • Dazzle Wallpaper

  • Declare Message

  • Display Camera

  • Great VPN

  • Humor Camera

  • Ignite Clean

  • Leaf Face Scanner

  • Mini Camera

  • Print Plant scan

  • Rapid Face Scanner

  • Reward Clean

  • Ruddy SMS

  • Soby Camera

  • Spark Wallpaper

If you use any of the above apps, it is a good idea to check your Google Play account for any unexpected subscriptions, although you may find nothing there, so check your credit card or bank statement starting June this year, the month The Joker software started its latest subscription automation.

Live Hacker, a tech news site, also advises you to notify your contacts if a previous application is found on your device, because Joker can steal all of your contacts and upload them to the controller's server.