The Joker, a dreaded malware that has been lurking on Android smartphones since 2019, is back on the Play Store. According to information from the Federal Police of Belgium, the malware is still present on some users' phones.
Since September 2019, the Joker malware has often caused havoc on the Play Store. Regularly banned by Google's security teams, the malware regularly returns to the app store to scam users.
The 8 rogue apps have been banned from the Play Store. Unfortunately, the malware continues to do damage.
The Joker continues to lurk in the Play Store
According to the Belgian Federal Police, the Joker malware is still present on some users' smartphones. Citing the findings of Quick Heal Security Labs, the police advise to uninstall the apps without delay.
Since its first foray into the Play Store, the Joker has never changed its modus operandi. Once the Joker has infiltrated the phone of its victims, it goes to the web page offering a paid service. He then retrieves the confirmation SMS messages exchanged between the smartphone and the premium service before the user realizes anything.
It then unknowingly subscribes its victims to premium subscriptions.
The Joker virus can get into your SMS , contacts and many other information , allowing it to subscribe you to websites offering paid services. This can leave you with a surprise at the end of the month on your bank account .the police warned in a statement on their website.
According to researchers at Quick Heal Security Labs, it is highly likely that other applications are hiding the Joker. To be on the safe side, we advise you to avoid downloading unknown apps from the Play Store or any other online app store. Before installing an app, we also encourage you to check the reviews of other users. The comments often help to understand the deception.