Android spyware in the Google Play Store was downloaded over 1 million times over 3 years
A piece of malware pretending to be an Android system update was downloaded over 1 million times since launch 2014. The malware, dubbed SMSVova, spied on a victim’s location and relayed it to the attacker in real time. The app, named “System Update” and sporting official-looking Android art, was spotted by security researchers at Zscaler and then removed by Google soon after disclosure. When a user starts the newly downloaded app, it quits and pops up a message alerting the user that “Unfortunately, Update Service has stopped.” It then goes into hiding but remains active. The malware watches a victim’s location and incoming SMS messages. The attacker sends a message like “get faq” and the infected device responds with a set of commands allowing for constant monitoring or conditional alerts on a victim’s location. “There are many apps on the Google Play Store that act as a spyware; for example, those that spy on […]
The post Android spyware in the Google Play Store was downloaded over 1 million times over 3 years appeared first on Cyberscoop.