Cybersecurity researchers at Check Point have discovered that the infamous Joker virus has made a comeback on the Play Store. Malware active since 2017 has been spotted in no less than 11 innocent-looking apps. In all, these apps have more than 500,000 downloads, making as many potential victims.
The Joker malware is known to steal the bank details of its victims. He can also have access to SMS, emails and other notifications which allows him to intercept authentication codes, recover names and other personal data, subscribe his victims to paid services and click on advertisements or malicious.
Precautions to take
For cybersecurity researcher at CheckPoint Aviran Hazum, the protective measures put in place by Google on the Play Store are not enough to stop malicious applications. "We were able to detect numerous uploads of Joker to the Google Play Store each week, all of which were downloaded by unsuspecting users.
Despite the investments made by Google to protect its platform, the Joker malware is difficult to detect. And even if the fraudulent apps have been removed from it, we can expect a malware mutation. Everyone must take the time to understand what Joker is and what damage it can cause to ordinary people, ”he explains.
Don't download these apps
The authors of the malware make sure to develop applications that actually provide the advertised service - photo filter or otherwise - in order to put the victims' vigilance to sleep. As for Google's security measures, hackers make sure to hide the malicious code while they pass the validation phase. Once done, they activate the malware remotely and can thus recover sensitive data from their victims' phones.
Here is the list of eleven applications infected with the Joker virus:
- ImageCompress
- WithMe Texts
- FriendSMS
- Relax Relaxation
- Cherry Messages
- LovingLove Message
- RecoveFiles
- RemindMe Alarm
- Training Memory Game
Warned of the problem, Google proceeded to remove problematic applications from the Play Store. If you have downloaded one of these applications, it is advisable to uninstall it and run an antivirus scan on your phone. Also, check your bank account to make sure that no unexplained transactions have been made without your knowledge.
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