‘Joker’ malware has infected 24 Android apps and is stealing your money

A new malware called the 'Joker' is now plaguing Android apps and can reportedly steal money from your account by presenting itself as a premium subscription. The malware has been named after the iconic Batman villain, Joker. According to an analyst at CSIS Security Group named Aleksejs Kuprins, the malware has infected 24 apps on the Google Play Store, which have now been removed, reports The Indian Express. 

According to Kuprins, the malware was downloaded and installed by over 4,72,000 Android users. Though the infected apps have now been removed, it is unclear if a number of users are still at risk.

Infected apps include Advocate Wallpaper, Age Face, Altar Message, Antivirus Security- Security Scan, Beach Camera, Board Picture Editing, Certain Wallpaper, Climate SMS, Collate Face Scanner, Cute Camera, Collate Face Scanner, Cute Camera, Dazzle Wallpaper, Declare Wallpaper, Display Camera, Display Camera, Great VPN, Humour Camera, Ignite Clean, Leaf Face Scanner, Mini Camera, Print Plant Scan, Rapid Face Scanner, Reward Clean, Ruddy SMS, Soby Camera and Spark Wallpaper.

If you have any of the apps that have been listed, we recommend that you delete them immediately. Most of the apps in the list didn't have any region restrictions and have potentially infected users in over 37 countries including India, US, UK and other European and Asian countries.

The Joker malware integrates itself into Android apps and simulates the sign up process of a premium service. The infected apps while in use click on an advertisement within the app, which starts the sign up process silently.

The user doesn't have any hold on what the app does, as it gains access to their SMS messages, copying the OTP that gets sent to authenticate a payment. The money then gets promptly deducted from the user's bank account.