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- 20 very dangerous applications have been spotted
- They steal your data, subscribe you to paid services, or distribute advertising
- You need to remove them from your phone urgently
It happens very regularly that cybersecurity companies sound the alarm about dangerous mobile applications. A recent Dr.Web report unveils 20 apps on the Play Store that are particularly harmful.
Some of them contain the Joker virus. This malware can cost you a lot of money because it intercepts confirmation text messages exchanged between your Android smartphone and an online service, to subscribe you without your knowledge to a paid subscription. The maneuver only lasts a short time, but multiplied to infinity, it can bring very big profits to cybercriminals.
Personal data stolen from Android
Other apps spotted by Dr.Web deliver mass advertisements to the target’s phone. While not particularly dangerous, it can be particularly painful for the victim, and very lucrative for hackers.
We also find traces of the FakeApp malware capable of sucking up the personal data of users. This is very dangerous because this sensitive information then ends up for sale on the dark web and can be used for hacks, or more serious cases of identity theft.
Here is the list of the 20 applications spotted by Dr.Web: Big Decisions, Document PDF Scanner, FITSTAR, Jewel Sea, King Blitz, Lucky Clover, Lux Fruit Games, Lucky Habit: health tracker, Luck Hammer, Lucky Step-Walking Tracker, Golden Hunt, Reflector, Safe VPN, SEEKS, Seven Golden Wolf blackjack, Smart Night Clock, Smart Screen Mirroring, Unlimited Score, WalkingJoy, Wonder Time.
How to protect yourself?
If you find that one of these apps is installed on your phone, it should be uninstalled immediately. You should also check your bank statements to see if you have not been the victim of a hack.
Good news however, since the publication of this report, Google teams have been quite responsive and most applications have been removed. This alerts us in any case to the dangers as a user. Do not install applications too quickly and find out about the publisher. Reading comments on the Play Store can also provide us with valuable information in this regard.
Note that this reflex is also to be adopted on the computer. In 2022, we have seen an explosion of cryptojacking devices that allow cybercriminals to mine cryptocurrency in hiding. To learn more about this danger, you can read our article here.
