Malware Alert: Google Removes 9 Apps From Play Store After Detecting Joker Malware

Virus Alert: Google has removed 9 apps from Play Store after detecting Joker malware. The apps infected with this malware were stealing users' data.

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Malware Alert: There is important news for Android smartphone users. Even after Google's strict measures, hackers continue to find their way to the Play Store and steal data from users' phones.

Google has recently banned 9 such Android apps on the Play Store after detecting Joker malware in these apps. Hackers were able to get hold of users' data with the help of this malware. Let's know which 9 apps were infected and how to avoid them.

Out of the 9 infected apps that Google has recently spotted and removed from its Play Store, 7 are smartphone apps and 2 are smart TV apps. Let us know all these apps that are infected with the Joker malware.

• Super Hero Effect
• Classic Emoji Keyboard
• QRcode Scan
• EmojiOne keyboard
• Battery Charging Animations Battery Wallpaper
• Volume Booster Loud Sound Equaliser
• Dazzling Keyboard

Smart TV apps:

• Smart TV Remote
• Halloween Coloring

What is Joker Malware?

It happens to be an extremely dangerous malware. It sneaks into any mobile app and keeps hidden. It activates premium services subscriptions from mobile without the user's knowledge and consent. For this, it uses a Wireless Application Protocol billing service.

How this malware hides in our smartphones:

Google keeps a close watch on such malware, but still, this malware finds a way to deceive the operating system and enter the Play Store. Hackers initially develop an app that looks as ordinary as any other app. These apps come with a lot of features and often one can find ratings and comments which happen to be hoaxes.

People trust such comments and download the app. After a few days, hackers release an update for the app and insert Joker malware into it. This malware then infects the phone. Since 2017, Google has detected and banned 1700 apps with Joker malware.

Things to Remember:

• Stay updated with such news or check which apps Google has banned from the Play Store.
• Once you get to know about the infected apps, make sure that these apps are not downloaded on your phone.
• If you find the malware-infected apps on your phone, uninstall them immediately.
• Before deleting the app, find out which premium services you have been already subscribed to, without your permission.
• Contact these companies immediately and end these subscriptions.
• After uninstalling the app, download a known anti-virus app on your phone.
• Run the anti-virus app on your phone to detect the presence of malware or virus.
• If any virus or malware is found, it would be better to reset your smartphone.