FOUR dangerous apps riddled with viruses have been dramatically pulled from the Google Play Store.
But it may be too late for the 100,000 people who had already downloaded them on Android phones.
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The four apps in question have very generic names, including Smart SMS Messages which was downloaded more than 50,000 times.
Others on the ban list are Blood Pressure Monitor, Voice Languages Translator and Quick Text SMS which each had more than 10,000 downloads.
They were all found to contain a piece of malware called Joker.
This particularly form of malware is also known as fleeceware because of how it works.
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Once sneakily installed via apps that are seemingly ordinary, it secretly subscribes peoples to paid services with premium text and calls.
It all happens in the background, meaning victims are completely unaware of it.
The four apps found with Joker were uncovered by experts at Pradeo.
And they’re by no means the first.
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They join a growing list of apps that goes into the thousands with the same virus lurking beneath in the last three years.
“All of these apps are programmed to install other applications on users’ devices, acting as dropper to potentially convey even more dangerous malware,” Pradeo warned.
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“By using as little code as possible and thoroughly hiding it, Joker generates a very discreet footprint that can be tricky to detect.
“Users are advised to immediately delete these applications from their smartphones and tablets to avoid fraudulent activities.”
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