Attention Android Users! Two New Russian Spyware Will Start Monitoring You Without You Knowing It
Spyware can come from anywhere, but there are also Russian companies, which have every intention of recording what people do and collecting sensitive data. This time we are talking about two new Russian spyware programs that pose a threat to Android users who download apps from untrusted third-party sources.
Thanks to security researchers at Lookout, we learned that Gamaredon, a suspected Russian spyware group, has released two spyware targeting Android devices: BoneSpy and PlainGnome. According to Androidheadlines , this could be the first family of mobile malware associated with the Gamaredon group.
These spyware programs appear to hide in regular apps at first glance, and once installed, they start infecting your mobile phone. In the case of BoneSpy, experts discovered that it was hidden in apps that monitor battery charge, photo gallery apps, fake versions of Telegram, and even Samsung Knox.
Once it enters the mobile phone, BonSpy starts collecting all the information from your SMS messages, as well as recording the surrounding audio in real time, and even phone calls. Another important detail that this spyware can do is collect your location data, which it achieves through GPS, calls, and screenshots.
Additionally, they also link this to the ability to access the mobile phone's web history, as well as extract all stored contact information, along with call history.
On the other hand, PlainGnome is also a spy monitoring software for Android devices. It has a two-step installation process to avoid detection, and it performs a similar function to BoneSpy, although it also includes some advanced features. What’s more worrying is that it can transfer all the data from the mobile phone when it is inactive, so no one notices it.
At the moment, it is believed that these two spyware programs are usually downloaded from untrusted websites, outside of the Google Play Store. It is not known whether this is a spying strategy focused on Ukrainian citizens, or something more general. In any case, it is best to pay attention to any signs that indicate that your cell phone contains spyware