After spotting a batch of Joker malware-laden Android apps, Google has pulled the majority of the malware-laden software off the Play Store. The malware, known as joker123 apk, is a dangerous Trojan horse, and is a form of ransomware. Earlier this month, Google removed 17 Android apps from its Play Store. Among these were games, social networks, and other applications. The apps had over 120,000 downloads before Google discovered them. dumpor
In an announcement, Google said it would ban apps that did not adhere to its data policy. Huq, a British company that collects location data, admitted that two of its partners did not seek the appropriate permissions. These apps sent sensitive user data to a third party. The incident was first uncovered by researcher Serge Egelman of the University of California, Berkeley. Huq’s app has since been removed from Google Play Store.
The 17 Android apps that were removed from the Play Store were infected with the Joker malware. This malware steals contacts and SMS messages, and silently registers its victims for premium wireless services. Google acted quickly to remove these apps. If you have downloaded any of these apps, please consider removing them manually. If you find any suspicious apps on your device, contact Google’s Android Security team. They will take the necessary steps to make sure your data is protected. f95forum
