A few days ago, the Joker Malware had seeped into the Android ecosystem. This wasn’t the first time that this has occurred. However, newer reports are suggesting that other malware – BlackRock is spreading in India.
This new malware has reportedly affected 337 apps on the Google Play Store. The malware steals your sensitive data, such as email passwords and bank details from your phone. It functions like any other malware. This malware, however, is based on the source code of another malware ‘Xerxes’.
Some users have reported that this malware can even send push notifications and unnecessary ads. It also sends fake SMSs to other people thereby incurring data charges. It gets these permissions by asking you in the guise of a Google update.
Malware, a portmanteau of the two words malicious and software, is a piece of dangerous software that is designed to infiltrate and damage a computer system without the owner’s informed consent. The last major malware to infect India was the Joker malware in 2019. It became a recurring issue as the creators were simply changing some small parts of the source code to make it untraceable.
How to protect yourself?
Do not download apps outside of Play Store, and even on Play Store, make sure that the developers are from a reputed organization. Also, make sure that you don’t give unnecessary permissions. Eg. A photo editor asking for voice permissions. Finally, there are plenty of anti-malware programs from reputable organizations which can be used to clear your system. Jio has their own Jio security, but others like Kaspersky and Norton also have their own apps.
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