Did you download these BANNED dangerous apps from Google Play Store? Check full list

Even after Google's efforts to stop malicious apps from getting into Google Play Store apps, many still escape being caught. These dangerous apps on Google Play Store have been downloaded 300,000 times by innocent phone users. Recently, Cybersecurity researchers at Zscaler's ThreatLabz have discovered three malware families targeting phone users via malware containing Google Play Store apps. Installing these malicious apps allows cybercriminals to steal users' data, take over their social media handles of users, access SMS, and subscribe them to premium services without letting them know. As reported by Bleeping Computers, these apps are found to be infected with three dangerous malware families that we are familiar with - Joker malware, Facestealer, and Coper. Notably, there are 50 such banned dangerous apps on Google Play Store and you can check the full list in the article below.

Analysts have already informed Google about these, and the tech giant has immediately banned these apps. But the apps were already downloaded over 3 lakh times. Those who are still using these malicious apps must remove them and perform other safety measures to clean out the malware effect. Here's how these malware work:

Joker Malware

The Joker malware is a “Fleeceware” that infects popular apps and enter the user's phone when the apps are downloaded. This malware simply subscribes users to paid services online without taking their permission. It can also click on online ads automatically. The most dangerous thing about this malware is it can even read OTPs from your SMS to secretly approve payments and users can't even find that unless they check their bank statement.

Facestealer

The malicious trojan Facestealer uses social engineering to steal Facebook credentials and makes connections to a Russian server and give spyware full access to victims' Facebook accounts and all data they contain, such as credit card details, conversations, searches, etc.

Coper malware

It is an information-stealing malware that can intercept SMS texts, logging text entered on the devices, perform overlay attacks, send malicious SMS texts, and exfiltrate data back to the attacker's servers.

Check the full list of dangerous apps on Google Play store

Simple Note Scanner - com.wuwan.pdfscan

Universal PDF Scanner - com.unpdf.scan.read.docscanuniver

Private Messenger - com.recollect.linkus

Premium SMS - com.premium.put.trustsms

Smart Messages - com.toukyoursms.timemessages

Text Emoji SMS - messenger.itext.emoji.mesenger

Blood Pressure Checker - com.bloodpressurechecker.tangjiang

Funny Keyboard - com.soundly.galaxykeyboard

Memory Silent Camera - com.silentmenory.timcamera

Custom Themed Keyboard - com.custom.keyboardthemes.galaxiy

Light Messages - com.lilysmspro.lighting

Themes Photo Keyboard - com.themes.bgphotokeyboard

Send SMS - exazth.message.send.text.sms

Themes Chat Messenger - com.relish.messengers

Instant Messenger - com.sbdlsms.crazymessager.mmsrec

Cool Keyboard - com.colate.gthemekeyboard

Fonts Emoji Keyboard - com.zemoji.fontskeyboard

Mini PDF Scanner - com.mnscan.minipdf

Smart SMS Messages - com.sms.mms.message.ffei.free

Creative Emoji Keyboard - com.whiteemojis.creativekeyboard.ledsloard

Fancy SMS - con.sms.fancy

Fonts Emoji Keyboard - com.symbol.fonts.emojikeyboards

Personal Message - com.crown.personalmessage

Funny Emoji Message - com.funie.messagremo

Magic Photo Editor - com.amagiczy.photo.editor

Professional Messages - com.adore.attached.message

All Photo Translator - myphotocom.allfasttranslate.transationtranslator

Chat SMS - com.maskteslary.messages

Smile Emoji - com.balapp.smilewall.emoji

Wow Translator - com.imgtop.camtranslator

All Language Translate - com.exclusivez.alltranslate

Cool Messages - com.learningz.app.cool.messages

Blood Pressure Diary - bloodhold.nypressure.mainheart.ratemy.mo.depulse.app.tracker.diary

Chat Text SMS - com.echatsms.messageos

Hi Text SMS - ismos.mmsyes.message.texthitext.bobpsms

Emoji Theme Keyboard - com.gobacktheme.lovelyemojikeyboard

iMessager - start.me.messager

Text SMS - com.ptx.textsms

Camera Translator - com.haixgoback.outsidetext.languagecameratransla

Come Messages - com.itextsms.messagecoming

Painting Photo Editor - com.painting.pointeditor.photo

Rich Theme Message - com.getmanytimes.richsmsthememessenge

Quick Talk Message - mesages.qtsms.messenger

Advanced SMS - com.fromamsms.atadvancedmmsopp

Professional Messenger - com.akl.smspro.messenger

Classic Game Messenger - com.classcolor.formessenger.sic

Style Message - com.istyle.messagesty

Private Game Messages - com.message.game.india

Timestamp Camera - allready.taken.photobeauty.camera.timestamp

Social Message - com.colorsocial.message

How to stay safe?

To protect yourself from these malwares, you must install only essential apps. Another thing that you must do is always read reviews before installing an app and trust only large well-known publishers. Additionally, read the permissions carefully that these apps asked upon installing.