Nowadays, child monitoring apps are often repurposed to spy on a person’s spouse, known as stalkerware or spouseware. In the early days of the internet, remote access trojans, or RATs, let snoops spy on victims through their webcams. This kind of malware has far-reaching access to a victim’s device and comes in a variety of forms and names, but largely does the same thing. Google has seen malicious apps slip through its filters before. When reached, a Google spokesperson would not comment on what steps the company was taking to prevent the malware from entering the Android app store. Mittal confirmed that the malicious app was never installed on Google Play. But many older devices don’t run the latest apps, forcing users to rely on older versions of their apps from bootleg app stores. It’s why Android devices warn users not to install apps from outside of the app store. Tricking someone into installing a malicious app is a simple but effective way to compromise a victim’s device. The malware can take full control of an affected device. The malware also captures the most up-to-date data, including location and photos.Ī screenshot of the malware masquerading as a system update running on an Android phone. The malware hides from the victim and tries to evade capture by reducing how much network data it consumes by uploading thumbnails to the attacker’s servers rather than the full image. The malware also tracks the victim’s location, searches for document files and grabs copied data from the device’s clipboard. The spyware can steal messages, contacts, device details, browser bookmarks and search history, record calls and ambient sound from the microphone, and take photos using the phone’s cameras. Researchers at mobile security firm Zimperium, which discovered the malicious app, said once the victim installs the malicious app, the malware communicates with the operator’s Firebase server, used to remotely control the device. Once installed by the user, the app hides and stealthily exfiltrates data from the victim’s device to the operator’s servers. The malware was found bundled in an app called “System Update” that had to be installed outside of Google Play, the app store for Android devices. Security researchers say a powerful new Android malware masquerading as a critical system update can take complete control of a victim’s device and steal their data.
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