Four Android applications delivering malware to smartphones removed from the Google Play app store

Four more apps have been removed from the Google Play app store after being downloaded over 100,000 times.

According to security researchers, they are being used to deliver malware to smartphones.

Joker malware is designed to be inconspicuous and difficult for app stores to detect.

During the last three years, it has been discovered hiding in thousands of mobile applications and downloaded by millions of victims.

Pradeo, a malware developer, has released Joker, an app that earns money through in-app purchases and SMS messages sent to premium rate numbers.

This is accomplished by intercepting one-time passwords, reading SMS messages, and taking screenshots.

According to the company, there are some warning signs that can alert users that what they are about to download could be malware.

These include the handling of developer accounts for each app and privacy policies that are short and vague.