Google removes 11 apps from Play Store over malware issue

New Delhi : Google has recently removed around 11 applications from the Play Store after it was found that they have been infected with the notorious Joker malware. Google has been keeping their eyes on the applications since 2017.

Check Point researchers discovered a new variant of the Joker malware that was present inside legitimate apps.

The hacker had developed a trick through which he used to get the users subscribed to premium services without their knowledge. Since hackers developed this old way of getting inside apps they could pass Google Play’s protections.

The Joker Malware was found to be active in 11 applications and all of them have been suspended from the Play Store, you must also delete them if you have them in your device.

The list of apps detected include -

com.imagecompress.android

com.contact.withme.texts

com.hmvoice.friendsms

com.relax.relaxation.androidsms

com.cheery.message.sendsms (two different instances)

com.peason.lovinglovemessage

com.file.recovefiles

com.LPlocker.lockapps

com.remindme.alram

com.training.memorygame

Despite several checkpoints on the Google Play Store, it is very difficult to trace the Joker Malware and it is likely that it may return on the Play Store before anyone notices it.

Earlier this year, Google released a report where it said that it had detected and removed 1,700 malicious “Bread” apps from the Play Store. These Bread apps are ones with Joker malware.