Urgent warning to delete ‘Joker apps’ from your phone that can steal your cash and read your texts

TECH experts have warned people to delete “Joker apps” that can steal cash and read your text messages from Android phones.

Another batch of apps has been deleted from the Google Play Store after it was discovered that they contained “Joker” malware that can sign users up to subscription plans and charge the cards saved to their account.

ZScalerAnother batch of apps have been deleted from Google’s Play Store[/caption]

This specific type of malware was first discovered back in 2017, but has recently made a comeback and made its way into 11 apps that appeared in Google’s Play Store, according to Zscaler’s ThreatLabz.

Zscaler described the Joker malware as “one of the most prominent malware families targeting Android devices.

“Despite public awareness of this particular malware, it keeps finding its way into Google‘s official application market by employing changes in code, execution methods, or payload-retrieving techniques.”

While Google has now deleted the apps from the Play Store, people who already downloaded one of them may still be at risk.

Google does not have the ability to delete apps that have already been installed onto individual phones.

WHICH APPS WERE AFFECTED?

The following apps were said to be carrying the malware.

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Zscaler explained that the Joker spyware is designed to “steal SMS messages, contact lists, and device information, and to sign the victim up for premium wireless application protocol (WAP) services.”

Over the past year, dozens of Android apps have been flagged for containing dangerous malware.

In June, Apple CEO Tim Cook slammed Android as significantly less safe than the iPhone’s iOS software.

Cook said that “Android has 47 times more malware than iOS,” according to Forbes.

“We designed iOS in such a way that there’s one App Store,” the Apple boss said.

“All of the apps are reviewed prior to going on the store, and so that keeps a lot of the malware out of our ecosystem.”

ZScalerAndroid users are being advised to check their phones[/caption]