Google Play tries hard to tighten its security, but once in a while we’ll hear incidents where malware slips pass the security and harm its users. The most recent one is dubbed the “Joker”, found in 24 Android apps that have now been removed by Google.
The “Joker” quietly sign users up for premium subscription services and takes their money without them even realising — unless they diligently check their credit card statements. It can access user’s text messages to get the authorisation code to verify subscription payments and reports state that there have been more than 472,000 installs.
Among the 24 apps, there are apps like Great VPN, Age Face, Antivirus Security – Security Scan and lots of other camera apps and wallpaper apps. According to security researcher Aleksejs Kuprins, the virus was targeted at 37 countries such as the US, Australia and Asian countries.
If you’re one of the victims that have fallen to this trap, be sure to remove these apps from your device and do a thorough check-up on your credit card statements. Below is the full list of the affected apps:
- Advocate Wallpaper
- Age Face
- Altar Message
- Antivirus Security – Security Scan
- Beach Camera
- Board picture editing
- Certain Wallpaper
- Climate SMS
- Collate Face Scanner
- Cute Camera
- Dazzle Wallpaper
- Declare Message
- Display Camera
- Great VPN
- Humour Camera
- Ignite Clean
- Leaf Face Scanner
- Mini Camera
- Print Plant scan
- Rapid Face Scanner
- Reward Clean
- Ruddy SMS
- Soby Camera
- Spark Wallpaper
