The “Joker” malware strikes again: if you have installed any of these 16 applications, your mobile is in danger

Joker, the well-known malware recognized by Google and which forces the Play Store to constantly strengthen its defenses, returns to the fray. After hitting in 2019, it has reappeared on Google Play , infecting a total of 16 applications that accumulated more than 120,000 downloads. This hit adds to his recent appearance in July 2020 , where he showed that he was still more alive than ever.

The Zscaler team , cybersecurity experts, have reported the problem to Google, who removed the apps immediately . Despite this, the news is another example of how malware continues to reappear on Android, despite the security measures introduced by Google to improve its app store.

Joker returns to the fray in at least 16 applications

According to the experts at Zscaler, Joker can act in several ways. Mainly, it is malicious software that can sign us up for premium subscription services , as well as install spyware on our terminal that can affect sensitive data.

There is no fixed pattern of behavior for Joker, and he is capable of performing actions in the background. The application hides in its code the instructions to download data to our phone once the app has been downloaded , so the user cannot be aware of what is being done in the background.

Experts recommend removing these applications immediately and, as always, be especially careful with those apps that may ask for permissions related to SMS, call logs, contacts, and more. Specifically, these are the applications they recommend uninstalling :

1. All Good PDF Scanner.
2. Mint Leaf Message-Your Private Message.
3. Unique Keyboard – Fancy Fonts & Free Emoticons.
4. Tangram App Lock.
5. Direct Messenger.
6. Private SMS.
7. One Sentence Translator – Multifunctional Translator.
8. Style Photo Collage.
9. Meticulous Scanner.
10. Desire Translate.
11. Talent Photo Editor – Blur focus.
12. Care Message.
13. Part Message.
14. Paper Doc Scanner.
15. Blue Scanner.
16. Hummingbird PDF Converter – Photo to PDF.