ANDROID users are being warned about several apps from the Google Play Store that could infect their device with malicious software.
Google is said to have taken steps to remove the apps but if you’ve already downloaded any your phone could be at risk.
According to researchers at Zscaler ThreatLabz, some of the bad apps use malicious ‘Joker’ software.
They explained: “Recently, the Zscaler ThreatLabz team discovered apps involving multiple instances of the Joker, Facestealer, and Coper malware families spreading in the virtual marketplace.
“The ThreatLabz team immediately notified the Google Android Security team of these newly identified threats, and they promptly removed the malicious apps from the Google Play Store.”
A full list of the Joker apps in question can be found below.
50 malicious Android apps
Android users have been told to delete the following apps…
- Simple Note Scanner – com.wuwan.pdfscan
- Universal PDF Scanner – com.unpdf.scan.read.docscanuniver
- Private Messenger – 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.galaxiy
- 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.transationtranslator
- 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
Although Google is said to have removed them, the security researchers think the apps have been downloaded over 300,000 times.
They fall into the categories of communication, health, personalization, photography and tools.
If you’re partial to downloading apps like this on your Android device you may want to check your phone.
Joker malware can steal one-time login codes from your messages or subscribe you to costly services without your consent.
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The security experts added: “Most commonly, threat actors disguise the Joker malware in messaging applications that require users to grant escalated access permissions by allowing them to serve as the default SMS app on the user’s phone.
“The malware uses these advanced permissions to carry out its operations.”
To avoid apps like this you should always read the reviews on app stores, research the app and make sure you’re downloading from an official source.