Google Eliminates 11 Apps From Google Play Store For Billing Fraud
Google is leaving no stone unturned to work efficiently on working on the security. In yet another security update by Google, the company has eliminated 11 apps from Google Play Store. The step has been taken by Google to safeguard the security of Android users in the market. Google has been keeping a close check on these legitimate apps since 2017 as they are infected with the notorious Joker malware. The malware has infected a significant number of apps all across the world. The tech giant and a search engine are advising its Android users to remove these 11 apps to avoid unknowingly subscribing to hidden premium services by hackers.
With the unstoppable increase in the usage of mobile apps, malware and Spywares are also increasing. The researchers say that with minute changes to its code, this malware to get past the Play store’s safety measures and vetting barriers. Now, the Joker malware is using an old technique from the conservative PC threat landscape to circumvent detection by Google. The newly modified Joker malware uses two main components to subscribe to mobile application users to premium services. The two main parts are the Notification Listener service and the dynamic dex file.
What is Joker Malware?
The Joker is a Trojan malware that steals money from mobile phone users by illegitimately subscribing them to paid subscriptions without knowing them. It first creates interaction with ads without users’ consent and then takes the device’s SMS messages, including OTP to validate payments. The user will not know about all this until he gets notifications regarding the monetary transactions from their cards.
11 apps that Google has removed are:
1. Cheery Message (2 different apps)
2. Relaxation Message
3. Memory Game
4. Loving Message
5. Friend SMS
6. Contact Message
7. Compress Image
8. App Locker
9. Recover File
10.Remind Alarm- Alarm & Timer & Stopwatch App
The users are advised to check if they have installed these apps on their mobile devices and to uninstall them right away to avoid any potential harm. Researchers also encourage users to check their credit card bills to check for any involuntary subscription. In case of any discrepancy, they can unsubscribe themselves from the app to stay safe from future unintentional deductions. The user is also advised to download a security solution to offer any future issues.
Researchers believe that the Joker malware is very delicate to spot, and there are possible chances that this malware will come back in some mobile apps. Thus, they advise the users to keep their devices away from installing such apps so that they may not become a victim of such incidents. By staying away from such notorious apps, you can avoid the risk of irregularities on your credit card threats. One should immediately talk to their respective banks in case of any discrepancies.
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In late 2019, the tech giant has eliminated over 1700 other mobile applications that were infected with a similar Joker malware. Nonetheless, users didn’t download these apps before they were removed. Users should be aware of such threats.
Conclusion
Checking for the authenticity of any app is essential for users before downloading or installing an app from a non-trusted developer. You should immediately uninstall the app if you think that the app is injected with malware or potential viruses. Having an anti-virus installed on your device will also be helpful.
