As a result, there have been periodic waves of Joker infestations inside the official store, including two massive onslaughts last year. That’s mostly because the malware’s authors keep making small changes to their attack methodology. Malicious Joker apps are commonly found outside of the official Google Play store, but they’ve continued to skirt Google Play’s protections since 2019 too. Often, the victim is none the wiser until the mobile bill arrives. Once installed, Joker apps silently simulate clicks and intercept SMS messages to subscribe victims to unwanted, paid premium services controlled by the attackers – a type of billing fraud that researchers categorize as “fleeceware.” The apps also steal SMS messages, contact lists and device information. Joker has been around since 2017, disguising itself within common, legitimate apps like camera apps, games, messengers, photo editors, translators and wallpapers.
It’s also using new approaches to skirt past Google’s app-vetting process. The Joker mobile trojan is back on Google Play, with an uptick in malicious Android applications that hide the billing-fraud malware, researchers said.
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