› UKTH forums › 📱 Mobile › 💬 Android Phones › Smartphone users told to delete these 8 apps over virus that can access texts
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September 3, 2021 at 7:09 am #15012
Smartphone users have been warned by police about eight popular apps which have been corrupted by a dangerous virus.
The affected apps have been deleted by Google from its Play Store and Apple blocked them from its devices after finding evidence of “Joker” malware.
However, Android users are being told to delete them from their devices.
The malware was first identified in 2019, and is capable of wreaking havoc on phones it infects.
The malware has been found installing hidden spyware and premium diallers which can sign-up to expensive monthly subscriptions.
Previous victims have found they’ve been charged over £240 a year for fraudulent plans.
Security firm Zimperium said that it has seen over 1,000 new samples of Joker since it last reported on the problem back in 2020.
Researchers at cybersecurity company Quick Heal Security Lab have also revealed that the latest joker virus can gain access to text messages, contacts and a lot of other personal information on smartphones.
What applications have been affected?
Auxiliary MessageElement Scanner
Fast Magic SMS
Free CamScanner
Go Messages
Super Message
Great SMS
Travel Wallpapers
n a warning, police in Belgium said: “Warning! The Joker virus is back in the Android environment.
“This malware has been spotted in 8 apps from the Play Store which have meanwhile been withdrawn by Google, but if you have already installed one, remove it as soon as possible.”
Security firm Zimperium is warning that cyber thieves have routinely found new and unique ways to get this malware into both official and unofficial app stores.
“Joker trojans are malicious Android applications that have been known since 2017 for notoriously performing bill fraud and subscribing users to premium services,” explained Zimperium.
In a completely sane world, madness is the only freedom (J.G.Ballard).
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September 3, 2021 at 7:16 am #15013Great article on the Androidheadline detailing what the Joker Viris /malware is and why it is designed to wok that way.
The ‘Joker’ virus: Everything you need to know – updated October 2023
In a completely sane world, madness is the only freedom (J.G.Ballard).
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May 22, 2022 at 5:57 am #19088New alert from Android Owners:
Google has banned three more dangerous rip-off mobile phone apps as part of a crackdown on scammers.
The apps attempt to scam users out of money by mimicking genuine apps.
However, they are actually riddled with trojan horses that can hijack your information or begin paid subscriptions without being asked by the user.
One of them has a bug called Jocker, which can avoid Google’s security detection.
What apps have the Jocker bug?
The dangerous bug has been found on three apps: Style Message, Blood Pressure App and Camera PDF Scanner.In a completely sane world, madness is the only freedom (J.G.Ballard).
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July 10, 2022 at 11:54 am #19408Just read this via MSN.com
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Delete these four apps immediately, Android users warned:
If you use an Android, you might want to take a quick inventory on the apps you have installed on your device. This is necessary because Google Play Store has removed four suspicious apps, but you could be one of the 100,000 people who had already downloaded them.
What are they?
The applications that were removed from the Play Store include the generic named Smart SMS Messages, which has been downloaded 50,000 times, The Sun reports. The others, also bearing unsuspecting names like Blood Pressure Monitor, Voice Languages Translator and Quick Text SMS, had each been downloaded over 10,000 times.Experts at Pradeo, who discovered the malicious apps say they contain a piece of malware called Joker which can secretly subscribe you to paid services with premium text and calls.
All of these apps are programmed to install other applications on users’ devices, acting as dropper to potentially convey even more dangerous malware. By using as little code as possible and thoroughly hiding it, Joker generates a very discreet footprint that can be tricky to detect.
In a completely sane world, madness is the only freedom (J.G.Ballard).
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September 4, 2022 at 8:29 am #20718Malwarebytes have reported another Adware found on Google Play – A PDF reader found on Google Play with over one million downloads is aggressively displaying full screen ads, even when the app is not in use. More specifically, the reader is known as PDF reader – documents viewer, package name com.document.pdf.viewer. As a result, this aggressive behavior lands it in the realm of adware.
- pdf reader – documents reader
Adware found on Google Play — PDF Reader serving up full screen ads
In a completely sane world, madness is the only freedom (J.G.Ballard).
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September 8, 2022 at 11:47 am #20786MSN.com reports Samsung, Huawei, and other android phone users urged to delete apps as ‘invasive bug’ can empty bank account.
Android smartphone users have been issued an urgent warning about downloading apps which could contain invasive malware, with thousands already presumed to be at risk of an attack.
SharkBot, which can steal login and banking credentials, has returned to the Google Play Store, after cyber criminals have dodged intense security measures – with apps only becoming infected with the bug once downloaded and installed.
The virus, which initially surfaced in March earlier this year, has made its way onto two applications which Android users are being urged to delete immediately for their own safety.
The Daily Record reports that the Mister Phone Cleaner app and Kylhavy Mobile Security app have both been found to be infected with the malware, according to software experts Fox-IT who first made the discovery. The Express adds that Google has since banned these apps, but anyone with the software still on their phone or tablet should act fast to avoid becoming a victim of cyber-crime.
In a completely sane world, madness is the only freedom (J.G.Ballard).
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