Such instances have happened in the past and the cloud security company Zscaler has now reported that Google recently removed over 50 apps from the Play Store because they were infected with malware. In the report, Zscaler explained that its ThreatLabz team found apps in Google Play infected with three different malware families -- Joker, Facestealer, and Coper.
The report stated that most of these apps were infected with Joker malware, which is undoubtedly one of the prominent malware families targeting Android devices. The report noted that Joker malware “keeps finding its way into Google’s official app store by regularly modifying the malware’s trace signatures including updates to the code, execution methods, and payload-retrieving techniques.” “This malware is designed to steal SMS messages, contact lists, and device information, and to sign the victim up for premium wireless application protocol (WAP) services,” the report explained.
Google was immediately informed about these apps and the company pulled them down immediately. But this didn’t solve the problem, and that’s because all these apps were already downloaded by hundreds and thousands of Android users.
Check out the list of affected apps below.
If you have any of them installed on your phone, delete them immediately.
-Simple Note Scanner
-Universal PDF Scanner
-Private Messenger
-Premium SMS
-Smart Messages
-Text Emoji SMS
-Blood Pressure Checker
-Funny Keyboard
-Memory Silent Camera
-Custom Themed Keyboard
-Light Messages
-Themes Photo Keyboard
-Send SMS
-Themes Chat Messenger
-Instant Messenger
-Cool Keyboard
-Fonts Emoji Keyboard
-Mini PDF Scanner
-Smart SMS Messages
-Creative Emoji Keyboard
-Fancy SMS
-Fonts Emoji Keyboard
-Personal Message
-Funny Emoji Message
-Magic Photo Editor
-Professional Messages
-All Photo Translator
-Chat SMS
-Smile Emoji
-Wow Translator
-All Language Translate
-Cool Messages
-Blood Pressure Diary
-Chat Text SMS
-Hi Text SMS
-Emoji Theme Keyboard
-iMessager
-Text SMS
-Camera Translator
-Come Messages
-Painting Photo Editor
-Rich Theme Message
-Quick Talk Message
-Advanced SMS
-Professional Messenger
-Classic Game Messenger
-Style Message
-Private Game Messages
-Timestamp Camera
-Social Message
