private static void removeEmptyComments(File directory) throws IOException {
        for (File file : directory.listFiles()) {
            if (file.isDirectory()) {
                removeEmptyComments(file);
            } else {
                for (String currentEnding : CONFIG.getFileEndingsToCheck()) {
                    if (file.getAbsolutePath().endsWith(currentEnding) && !ignoreFile(file)) {

                        FileInputStream fis = new FileInputStream(file);
                        byte[] data = new byte[(int) file.length()];
                        fis.read(data);
                        fis.close();

                        String fileContent = new String(data, "UTF-8");

                        boolean foundInFile = false;
                        String emptyComment = "/**" + (char) 10 + " */";
                        while (fileContent.contains(emptyComment)) {
                            foundInFile = true;
                            fileContent = fileContent.replace(emptyComment, "");
                        }

                        if (foundInFile) {
                            PrintWriter out = new PrintWriter(file);
                            out.print(fileContent);
                            out.close();

                            System.out.println("file: " + file.getAbsolutePath()
                                    + " modified by removing double empty comment");
                            COUNTER++;
                        }
                    }
                }
            }
        }
    }