Cyber gangsters have infiltrated over 50 malware-infested Android apps on Google Play. That’s what the dangerous apps are called. Delete them immediately.
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Google Play: These Android apps are infected with malware – delete them immediately
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Zscaler ThreatLabz security researchers have discovered over 50 malware-infested Android apps distributed through the Google Play Store. You should immediately check if you have one or more of these apps installed on your Android device and delete the app immediately:
Simple Note Scanner – com.wuwan.pdfscan
Universal PDF Scanner – com.unpdf.scan.read.docscanuniver
Private messengers – com.recollect.linkus
Premium SMS – com.premium.put.trustsms
Smart Messages – com.toukyoursms.timemessages
Text Emoji SMS – messenger.itext.emoji.mesenger
Blood Pressure Checker – com.bloodpressurechecker.tangjiang
Funny Keyboard – com.soundly.galaxykeyboard
Memory Silent Camera – com.silentmenory.timcamera
Custom Themed Keyboard – com.custom.keyboardthemes.galaxy
Light Messages – com.lilysmspro.lighting
Themes Photo Keyboard – com.themes.bgphotokeyboard
Send SMS – exazth.message.send.text.sms
Themes Chat Messenger – com.relish.messengers
Instant Messenger – com.sbdlsms.crazymessager.mmsrec
Cool Keyboard – com.colate.gthemekeyboard
Fonts Emoji Keyboard – com.zemoji.fontskeyboard
Mini PDF Scanner – com.mnscan.minipdf
Smart SMS Messages – com.sms.mms.message.ffei.free
Creative Emoji Keyboard – com.whiteemojis.creativekeyboard.ledsloard
Fancy SMS – con.sms.fancy
Fonts Emoji Keyboard – com.symbol.fonts.emojikeyboards
Personal Message – com.crown.personalmessage
Funny Emoji Message – com.funie.messagremo
Magic Photo Editor – com.amagiczy.photo.editor
Professional Messages – com.adore.attached.message
All Photo Translator – myphotocom.allfasttranslate.translationtranslator
Chat SMS – com.maskteslary.messages
Smile Emoji – com.balapp.smilewall.emoji
Wow Translator – com.imgtop.camtranslator
All Language Translate – com.exclusivez.alltranslate
Cool Messages – com.learningz.app.cool.messages
Blood Pressure Diary – bloodhold.nypressure.mainheart.ratemy.mo.depulse.app.tracker.diary
Chat Text SMS – com.echatsms.messageos
Hi Text SMS – ismos.mmsyes.message.texthitext.bobpsms
Emoji Theme Keyboard – com.gobacktheme.lovelyemojikeyboard
iMessager – start.me.messager
Text SMS – com.ptx.textsms
Camera Translator – com.haixgoback.outsidetext.languagecameratransla
Come Messages – com.itextsms.messagecoming
Painting Photo Editor – com.painting.pointeditor.photo
Rich Theme Message – com.getmanytimes.richsmsthememessenge
Quick Talk Message – mesages.qtsms.messenger
Advanced SMS – com.fromamsms.atadvancedmmsopp
Professional Messenger – com.akl.smspro.messenger
Classic Game Messenger – com.classcolor.formessenger.sic
Style Message – com.istyle.messagesty
Private Game Messages – com.message.game.india
Timestamp Camera – allready.taken.photobeauty.camera.timestamp
Social Message – com.colorsocial.message
cam.vanilla.snapp (infested with FaceStealer malware)
Unicc QR Scanner com.qrdscannerratedx (contaminated with Coper Malware)
It’s about this malware
The malware authors were able to trick Google Play’s security mechanisms and upload apps in which they had embedded malware code. The infiltrated malware is representatives of the three “malware families” Joker, Facestealer and Coper, whereby Joker is clearly found in most of the infected apps (if Facestealer or Coper is in the app, this has been noted in the list above specifically mentioned).
Joker steals SMS messages and copies the contact lists and device information. Joker also registers its victims for fee-based WAP services. To do this, Joker uses the permissions that users typically grant to communication apps. Facestealer, on the other hand, tries to steal the access data for Facebook and finally Coper is a Trojan that tries to steal the access data for online banking.
Over 300,000 downloads
A little over 50 infected Android apps were downloaded more than 300,000 times from Google Play. The apps in question come from the categories of communication, health, photo, personalization and tools, with communication clearly dominating.
How to react correctly
The ThreatLabz team immediately informed the Google Android Security team about these newly identified threats. Google immediately removed the malicious apps from the Google Play Store. In other words, now you cannot download the infected apps from Google Play.
But if you have already installed one of the apps mentioned, then uninstall it immediately! Install a virus scanner and get your android scanned: Best antivirus programs 2022 for Android. Check unauthorized debits or entries on your phone bill or on your account.
How to protect yourself
Basically, you should always read the ratings carefully before installing a new Android app and check the number of downloads: Are the ratings free of any indications of malware and does the app have a lot of downloads? Well! Ask yourself: do the permissions the app is requesting make sense of the app’s purpose? However, if the app wants an unusual number of rights that are not related to its purpose at all: Do not use the app. Also check whether the provider of the app is known and reputable.
Always install a virus scanner for Android.