Joker Malware Returns: Delete These 7 apps From Your Phone Immediately

Pradeo is a Mobile Security Solutions firm that has recently alerted Android phone users. The threat is about a new strain of the infamous Joker malware infection. The infection is transferred through new apps on the official Google Play store.

The Joker malware had already infected 15 popular apps on Google. This created a major mobile security risk in 2020 as it was infecting only Android apps on Google Play Store. Google intervened and could only stop it temporarily as it has now successfully returned by making small changes to its code and bypassing Google’s security.

Tatyana Shishkova, an analyst at Cybersecurity firm Kaspersky, found out that the Joker malware was infecting 14 Android apps at least. This malware has been a major challenge for Google to tackle since it was first discovered in 2017.

A popular app called Color Message which is used by approximately 5 lakh users is the latest to get infected by the Joker malware, says a report by Pradeo. “The application is seen to be making connections with Russian servers,” pointed the report.

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Why is Joker Malware so dangerous, How does it work?

The Joker malware is of the category called “Fleeceware” which ultimately takes your money without your knowledge. The malware makes you click on the ads to skip them and instead gets your permission to enter in your phone through SMS, which gives it access to your credentials.

This malware is dangerous because it can even read OTPs from SMS that is made to secretly approve payments. Only if you check your bank statement will you realize, that you are taking a service and paying for it to a random app, that you did not consent to.

Pradeo report also listed a few other apps that are infected by the joker malware.

Here are the seven apps that you should delete immediately:

1. Color Message
2. Fingertip GameBox
3. Safety AppLock
4. Emoji Wallpaper
5. Convenient Scanner 2
6. Push Message-Texting&SMS
7. Separate Doc Scanner