Google bans these Android apps from Play Store for injecting malware.
Google has been working on tightening its security lately. The company has to do this by making sure the apps available on the Play Store are safe for all kinds of Android users around the globe. Now, Google has removed 11 apps from its app store as they were infected with Joker malware. The search giant has been tracking these apps since 2017.
According to a report by Check Point, a new version of the Joker malware was present inside legitimate apps. Using this malware, the hackers were able to make users subscribe to premium services without their knowledge.
As of now, the new Joker malware has been found on 11 apps on the Google Play Store. Here’s a list of the apps that have been banned from the Play Store now:
com.imagecompress.android
com.contact.withme.texts
com.hmvoice.friendsms
com.relax.relaxation.androidsms
com.cheery.message.sendsms (two different instances)
com.peason.lovinglovemessage
com.file.recovefiles
com.LPlocker.lockapps
com.remindme.alram
com.training.memorygame
Check Point further claims that Google Play’s security features are quite advanced. However, the Joker malware still managed to slip through, which makes it quite tricky to detect.
Also Read: Google delists 59 Chinese apps banned in India from Play Store: Know details
It is worth noting that Google banned over 1700 malicious apps from the Play Store earlier this year. These apps were also affected by the infamous Joke malware. Google claims that these apps were removed even before users could download it.
Check Point further recommends all Android users to check their apps thoroughly. If these apps are from a non-trusted developer, it could be a problem for them. And if one feels that an app is injected with malware or viruses, the apps should be immediately uninstalled. Also, one should keep a track on their linked credit cards as well as their prepaid or postpaid mobile accounts for any irregularities in payments. Lastly, Check Point suggests that users should have an anti-virus installed on their smartphones.
