A new report from Quick Heal Security Labs claims that the well-known “Joker” malware has resurfaced in eight Android apps.
It is a trojan-type malware that aims to steal information from the smartphone via SMS messages, contact list and information on the device. This type of malware also aims to covertly interact with advertising websites and subscribe the victim to paid services.
These Android apps hide Joker malware
The apps that hide Joker malware are:
- Auxiliary Message
- Fast Magic SMS
- FreeCamScanner
- Super Message
- Element Scanner
- Go Messages
- Travel Wallpapers
- Super SMS
According to the report, all of these apps require access to notifications after installation, as they need to access a lot of information, such as data contained in SMS.
These apps typically also ask for access to contacts so they can handle phone calls without the user’s knowledge.
The Joker malware has already made headlines last year and based on what we’ve seen so far it is usually spread via wallpaper and messaging apps, as well as scanners.
Google has been informed of the incident and has already removed all these apps from the Play Store , however they may still be installed on your devices. The advice is therefore to remove them immediately.
