Security News > 2022 > July > Several New Play Store Apps Spotted Distributing Joker, Facestealer and Coper Malware

Google has taken steps to ax dozens of fraudulent apps from the official Play Store that were spotted propagating Joker, Facestealer, and Coper malware families through the virtual marketplace.

"Instead of waiting for apps to gain a specified volume of installs and reviews before swapping for a malware-laced version, the Joker developers have taken to hiding the malicious payload in a common asset file and package application using commercial packers," the researchers explained the new tactic adopted by the persistent malware to bypass detection.

It's not just Joker, as security researcher Maxime Ingrao last week disclosed eight apps containing a different variant of the malware called Autolycos that racked up a total of over three million downloads prior to their removal from the app store after more than six months.

Also discovered in the official marketplace were apps embedding Facestealer and Coper malware.

The list of Facestealer and Coper dropper apps is as follows -.

Besides the usual rules of thumb when it comes to downloading apps from app stores, users are recommended to refrain from granting unnecessary permissions to apps and verify their legitimacy by checking for developer information, reading reviews, and scrutinizing their privacy policies.

News URL

https://thehackernews.com/2022/07/several-new-play-store-apps-spotted.html