Android warning over ‘Joker’ malware as users are told to delete seven apps NOW to avoid having data stolen

THE Joker malware, which sparked a mobile security crisis last year, has reportedly struck again.

A new strain of the malware has been detected by the mobile security solutions firm Pradeo which is thought to be infecting seven Android apps.

While Google took action against the malware it has managed to reappear after bypassing the security measures which were introduced, reports say.

Tatyana Shishkova, an analyst with the cyber security firm Kaspersky, has found the Joker malware in at least 14 Android apps.

The malware was first discovered in 2017 causing problems for Google to successfully tackle it.

Applications like Color Message are the latest to have been hit by the malware, according to Pradeo.

The malware appears to be making connections to Russian servers.

The Joker malware is considered to be a form of “fleeceware” where the intention is to steal money from the Android user without their knowledge.

It simulates clicks and intercepts text messages or SMS, subscribing the user to unwanted paid premium services without permission.

It can also click on ads automatically when online and secretly approve online payments.

Most users will not usually notice anything is wrong until they check their bank statements.

Pradeo has found that the following apps are currently infected by this malware:

• Color Message
• Safety AppLock
• Convenient Scanner 2
• Push Message-Texting&SMS
• Emoji Wallpaper
• Separate Doc Scanner
• Fingertip GameBox

The Joker malware has been found in hundreds of apps in the past two years, according to Pradeo.

The advice is to remove these apps at once from your phone to help protect it and run an anti-virus scan.

Then, keep an eye out for other symptoms of malware.

For example, if apps are crashing for seemingly no reason, your phone could be infected.

Also, if there is a sudden spike in your data or battery usage, it could be that malware is running background tasks on your device.

Check to make sure none of your friends have received mysterious messages from you, especially with strange links.

Malware can use your phone to send messages to people in your contacts list, and further infect your network.

Your best options for protection: installing strong antivirus software and doing regular security checks, and making sure you're always on the latest operating system.

Use a privacy-focused browser and make sure your security settings are locked down tight to prevent malware from infecting your phone from seemingly innocuous websites.