Dangerous Apps Downloaded from Google Play Store
Hackers’ Apps: The Joker, Coper and Facestealer
Dark web hackers have reportedly been infiltrating and hiding their malicious malware in popular App download stores. Recently, cyber security analysts tracked three dangerously coded Apps to criminal hackers. So far, the nefarious Joker, Coper, and Facestealer malware have found a home in the Google Play Store.
The triple threat was first discovered and reported by Zscaler’s ThreatLabz security analysts, according to an article on BleepingComputer.
Security experts have identified three harmful Android malware that was traced to hackers from the dark web. It’s no secret that these criminal hackers have infiltrated the Google Play Store, which they’ve often used to deceive unsuspecting victims. The concealment of harmful payloads that have been programmed inside several ostensibly innocent applications; helped the threat actors carry out their deceitful scams on millions of consumers.
Malicious Apps Steal Millions
As reported by law enforcement officials, there are millions of people who are affected by the action of these criminals daily. Once the malicious Apps are downloaded by unsuspecting victims, they have experienced a wide variety of scams that amounts to billions of dollars annually. Victims of these scammers have reported that they have reported hijacking of their social media accounts, phishing scams, data theft, SMS interception, and even unauthorized charges to their mobile accounts.
Meanwhile, based on Google’s policy to protect its consumers, all the fraudulent Apps were removed from its Apps download platform, once they are discovered. However, even though all these malicious Apps linked to the dark web hackers were later taken off the Play Store, the damage was already done with thousands of android gadgets already infected by many maliciously coded Apps.
Joker Malicious App
With ongoing research, the analysts informed that individuals are still at the mercy of these hackers. Some Android users have downloaded these apps and continue to use them, as they are unaware that these Apps belong to criminal hackers.
Individuals who are using the Joker, Coper, and Facestealer are being warned that they must immediately remove these harmful apps from their Android devices. They must uninstall all three Apps and carry out a device clean-up to uproot all traces of these malicious Apps.
The Joker, just as its name suggests, is a virus that can subscribe to expensive wireless application protocol (WAP) services. In addition, it can steal private data like the contact list found on the infected devices, and even SMS messages sent to the victim. So far, 30,000 downloads were recorded for this malicious App.
The Facestealer App
Facestealer, as implied by the name of the malware, uses false login forms overlayed on top of authentic app login forms to steal victims’ Facebook accounts.
The researchers discovered one app, a trustworthy program called “Vanilla Snap Camera,” that included the specific virus family hidden in its code. These communication apps are quite popular with Android gadget users, and easily get privileges necessary to accommodate the hackers’ evil intentions.
Malicious Coper App
Coper is an information-stealing malware; it sends malicious SMS texts, performs overlay assaults, logs devices’ texts, intercepts SMS messages, and exfiltrates information to the criminal hackers’ computer servers.
In addition, the App “Unicc QR Scanner” infected 1,000 devices due to Coper being re-coded in its code.
The Coper App does not include any harmful code when downloaded, but after installation and activation, more fraudulent software is distributed through updates.
