Urgently remove these apps that spread Joker, Facestealer and Coper malware

Google had to remove more than fifty apps from the Play Store because they spread the malware Joker, Coper and Facestealer once downloaded.

The malware was hidden in various and varied applications: photo editing, blood pressure monitoring, emoji keyboards, voice translation or even instant messaging.

The Joker malware inflates the bill

The malware was detected by cybersecurity agencies Pradeo and Zscaler. According to these companies, more than 100,000 users have been affected. Joker, which was found in 53 apps, is of the type fleeceware. Its purpose is to subscribe to paid services without the user’s consent, and to initiate calls and SMS to paid numbers. It is extremely widespread, and has been found in more than 1,000 applications in the past three years, thanks to its secret code which makes it difficult to detect.

In addition to subscribing to paid services, Joker steals your usernames and passwords in order to bypass two-factor authentication. Malicious applications therefore intercept passwords contained in notes or messages, and users only realize this after receiving the invoice. Additionally, these apps are programmed to download other apps onto your devices, exposing you to other types of malware.

Less common are apps that contain Coper and Facestealer malware. These are capable of siphoning your usernames and passwords, taking control of your devices or stealing large amounts of personal data.

How to avoid downloading malicious applications?

For ordinary mortals, it is complicated to detect the presence of the Joker malware, whose code is particularly brilliant. So, here are some tips to follow before downloading a new app.

First, check the developer’s profile on the Play Store: if they only offer one app, beware. These developers create a different account for each malicious application. Next, read the privacy policy: if it’s short, or always the same, succinct and without details, don’t download the app. Finally, trust the names of companies you know, or reputable and reliable sites.

Source : The Hacker News