New Delhi: Just as Apple Store remains to be a constant reliable platform to download apps on your mobile, Google Play Store fulfills the same criteria when it comes to Android phones. Google has several safety measures to check the kinds of apps listed on the Play Store. However, many a time scammers practice new methods to inject malware into the applications to steal away money and data from the users.
Previously, such instances have been witnessed while the cloud security company Zscaler has now informed that Google has recently removed 50 apps from the Play Store owing to being infected with malware. The report by Zscaler explained that apps from Google Play Store were found where they were infected with three different malware families namely – Joker, Facestealer, and Coper.
According to the report, most of the victim apps were infected with Joker malware, which is one of the prominent malware families targeting Android devices. The report specified that the 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.
As soon as Google was informed about these apps, it pulled them down immediately. However, this did not come to rescue as hundreds and thousands of Android users have these apps downloaded.
Take a look at the apps below. *Notably, if you have them installed, 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