Google has removed 17 Android applications from its official distribution service platform -Play Store.The 17 apps were infected with Joker malware, which is also called Bread malware.The security researchers at Zscaler, which is a California-based IT security company, identified these malicious apps.
“This spyware is designed to steal SMS messages, contact lists, and device information, along with silently signing up the victim for premium wireless application protocol (WAP) services,” Zscaler security researcher Viral Gandhi said.As soon as Google was notified about the 17 malicious apps that intend to gain unauthorized access to the users’ data, the company’s Android Security team took prompt action to remove the apps from the Play Store.
But there were still a total of around 120,000 downloads for the identified malicious apps, as Zscaler noted in a blog post.
The 17 apps deleted from the Play Store by Google include:
–All Good PDF Scanner –Mint Leaf Message-Your Private Message –Unique Keyboard – Fancy Fonts & Free Emoticons –Tangram App Lock –Direct Messenger –Private SMS –One Sentence Translator – Multifunctional Translator –Style Photo Collage –Meticulous Scanner –Desire Translate –Talent Photo Editor – Blur focus –Care Message –Part Message –Paper Doc Scanner –Blue Scanner –Hummingbird PDF Converter – Photo to PDF –All Good PDF Scanner
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