Two Google Play Store apps have been found to contain malware known as Joker, and it is highly recommended that you delete them right away should you have them.
Google has removed two apps, Smart TV Remote and Halloween Coloring, after containing malware. The apps and their developers have been banned from the Play Store.
The Joker malware is notorious for signing victims up to mobile services as well as stealing from bank accounts without being detected. The malware is known to victimize Android users in particular.
The Joker malware made headlines a few times this year. One of which is because it affected half a million Huawei devices in April. Most recently, a "Squid Game" app was discovered to have malware.
Google Play Store Removes Two Apps with Malware
Google Play Store has taken down two apps that were discovered to have the Joker malware. These apps are Smart TV Remote and Halloween Coloring. The Smart TV Remote app had been downloaded over 1,000 times since its publication last month.
According to a report by Bleeping Computer, Kaspersky's Android Malware Analyst Tatyana Shishkova revealed that these two Google Play Store apps have malware in them.
A Google spokesperson has told Bleeping Computer that the developers of the apps have been banned from the Google Play Store.
Users who have already downloaded the Smart TV Remote and Halloween Coloring apps are advised to delete them immediately. Users are also recommended to check if the malware made unauthorized subscriptions.
What is the Joker Malware?
What exactly is the Joker malware? Per Bleeping Computer, the Joker malware "is known to subscribe users to premium mobile services without their consent or knowledge."
"The threat actors behind the Joker malware hide malicious code in seemingly benign apps and publish these to official app stores," the report adds.
An article by Entrepreneur also says that the Joker malware also empties victims' bank accounts without being detected.
The Joker malware made headlines earlier this year after it was reported that it infected half a million Huawei devices in April. According to a previous Tech Times report, the Huawei devices were infected after downloading Android apps that carried the virus.
Related Article : Squid Game App Laced with 'Joker' Malware | Cybersecurity Researcher Warns Users of Access to Hackers
Other Instances of Android Apps Having Joker Malware
Android apps seem to be a favorite of the Joker malware as the two apps recently removed from the Google Play Store are not the only ones to have ever been discovered to have the Joker malware.
Back in June, eight apps on the Google Play Store were discovered to have the Joker malware. Last year, another 11 apps were also discovered to have malware, including com.file.recovefiles, com.file.recovefiles, and com.relax.relaxation.androidsms.
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Written by Isabella James
