Threat actors distributed a spyware strain dubbed “the Joker” via 24 apps on the Google Play Store, a security researcher has discovered. The malicious applications had been downloaded by 472,000 users in total before Google removed them from the official Android app store.
The Joker was capable of stealing SMS messages, contact information and other sensitive data from infected devices. The spyware also signed victims up to premium subscriptions without their knowledge. The researcher who found the malware said it “stands out as a small and a silent one. It is using as little Java code as possible and thus generates as little footprint as possible.”
Read more: Joker Spyware Found in 24 Google Play Apps